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- A Question of Accountability
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Playing the Victim Card Will Not Bring Peace
February 13, 2012
Today PLO Executive Committee member and lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi “described Israeli reactions to President Mahmoud Abbas’ address to the Arab League as disinformation to mislead public opinion,” reported WAFA.
On Sunday in Cairo Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly told the Arab League that he would send a message to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterating the Palestinian Authority’s “terms of reference” for resumption of negotiations. They would include his oft-repeated demands of a full cessation of construction in the settlements and in East Jerusalem and acceptance of the two-state solution on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, which so far Israel has refused to do. He also asked for a release of Palestinian prisoners. He threatened that if Israel did not take these steps, the Palestinians would give up on negotiations and return to the United Nations.
Netanyahu’s office responded the same day, saying that in making this threat, Abbas has “turned his back on peace,” and that “Instead of entering into negotiations that will lead to an end to the conflict, Abu Mazen [Abbas] prefers to join up with the Hamas terrorist organization, the same Hamas that is hugging Iran.”
Ashrawi called Netanyahu’s remarks “disinformation,” saying that Israel’s real aim in characterizing Abbas as having “turned his back on peace” for refusing to negotiate without these “terms of reference” was to cast Israel in the role of a victim in order to justify itself.
Her remarks are perceptive, pointing out that reality is not often what it seems in Middle East politics. But what should we make of Abbas’s own interpretation of reality? After all, Palestinians have for decades been casting themselves in the victim’s role. Is Abbas also trying to use Israel’s refusal to meet his demands as a way to justify his people’s continued victim status?
Does Abbas understand the forces at play, not only in Israel but in the international community, well enough to properly calibrate his actions for the Palestinians’ best interests? We fear that he does not. If he did, he would recognize that continuing his disengaged stance is only delaying the attainment of the statehood that his people so ardently desire.
The international community wants to support the Palestinians in achieving a two-state solution that will give them a contiguous state with an acceptable border. The Quartet and other international actors will stand behind the Palestinians to negotiate with Israel. If the Palestinians demonstrate good faith and Israel is not forthcoming with an acceptable presentation on a border, Israel will have to face the opprobrium of an international community that feels for Palestinian suffering. Truly, the Palestinian side has never had more leverage to negotiate a fair deal than they do today.
At the same time, we see that Netanyahu is susceptible to pressure to distance himself from the settler movement and give the Palestinians what they need. Now, the prospect of a unity deal with a “Hamas that is hugging Iran,” to use his own phrase, is concentrating his mind to consider what strategy he could pursue to neutralize this threat to Israel’s security. He knows that a continued stalemate would empower Hamas. A peace deal with the Palestinian Authority to is beginning to look like a better bet.
There is no better time than today for Abbas to call Israel’s bluff and negotiate. He should make Israel reveal its proposed map of a border to the world public, so the world can be the judge of whether or not it is fair. The stars are aligned. He can get his state. But he has to sit down with Israel to do it.
Refusing to negotiate will yield only a pittance of benefit. Recognition by the UN will be but a marginal improvement, providing some dignity but no state. Abbas should be under no illusions; what the international community wants is face-to-face negotiations with Israel. By refusing to negotiate, Abbas will only diminish himself and lose international cachet. He will also squander the support of his own people, who have been hoping he would deliver a state.
The Israelis have a saying about the Palestinians, “They never waste an opportunity to waste an opportunity.” It would be a shame if Abbas were to waste this opportunity by sulking and refusing to come to the table because he prefers to get his emotional kicks out of playing the victim once again.
Today PLO Executive Committee member and lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi “described Israeli reactions to President Mahmoud Abbas’ address to the Arab League as disinformation to mislead public opinion,” reported WAFA.
On Sunday in Cairo Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly told the Arab League that he would send a message to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterating the Palestinian Authority’s “terms of reference” for resumption of negotiations. They would include his oft-repeated demands of a full cessation of construction in the settlements and in East Jerusalem and acceptance of the two-state solution on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, which so far Israel has refused to do. He also asked for a release of Palestinian prisoners. He threatened that if Israel did not take these steps, the Palestinians would give up on negotiations and return to the United Nations.
Netanyahu’s office responded the same day, saying that in making this threat, Abbas has “turned his back on peace,” and that “Instead of entering into negotiations that will lead to an end to the conflict, Abu Mazen [Abbas] prefers to join up with the Hamas terrorist organization, the same Hamas that is hugging Iran.”
Ashrawi called Netanyahu’s remarks “disinformation,” saying that Israel’s real aim in characterizing Abbas as having “turned his back on peace” for refusing to negotiate without these “terms of reference” was to cast Israel in the role of a victim in order to justify itself.
Her remarks are perceptive, pointing out that reality is not often what it seems in Middle East politics. But what should we make of Abbas’s own interpretation of reality? After all, Palestinians have for decades been casting themselves in the victim’s role. Is Abbas also trying to use Israel’s refusal to meet his demands as a way to justify his people’s continued victim status?
Does Abbas understand the forces at play, not only in Israel but in the international community, well enough to properly calibrate his actions for the Palestinians’ best interests? We fear that he does not. If he did, he would recognize that continuing his disengaged stance is only delaying the attainment of the statehood that his people so ardently desire.
The international community wants to support the Palestinians in achieving a two-state solution that will give them a contiguous state with an acceptable border. The Quartet and other international actors will stand behind the Palestinians to negotiate with Israel. If the Palestinians demonstrate good faith and Israel is not forthcoming with an acceptable presentation on a border, Israel will have to face the opprobrium of an international community that feels for Palestinian suffering. Truly, the Palestinian side has never had more leverage to negotiate a fair deal than they do today.
At the same time, we see that Netanyahu is susceptible to pressure to distance himself from the settler movement and give the Palestinians what they need. Now, the prospect of a unity deal with a “Hamas that is hugging Iran,” to use his own phrase, is concentrating his mind to consider what strategy he could pursue to neutralize this threat to Israel’s security. He knows that a continued stalemate would empower Hamas. A peace deal with the Palestinian Authority to is beginning to look like a better bet.
There is no better time than today for Abbas to call Israel’s bluff and negotiate. He should make Israel reveal its proposed map of a border to the world public, so the world can be the judge of whether or not it is fair. The stars are aligned. He can get his state. But he has to sit down with Israel to do it.
Refusing to negotiate will yield only a pittance of benefit. Recognition by the UN will be but a marginal improvement, providing some dignity but no state. Abbas should be under no illusions; what the international community wants is face-to-face negotiations with Israel. By refusing to negotiate, Abbas will only diminish himself and lose international cachet. He will also squander the support of his own people, who have been hoping he would deliver a state.
The Israelis have a saying about the Palestinians, “They never waste an opportunity to waste an opportunity.” It would be a shame if Abbas were to waste this opportunity by sulking and refusing to come to the table because he prefers to get his emotional kicks out of playing the victim once again.
