The Wiser Palestinian Fight

 

With all that's going on in and around the region, you may be wondering why I'm not talking about the crisis in Lebanon or the upheaval in Tunisia. Although I do plan on dedicating a few posts on those subjects I've chosen to talk again about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. I certainly don't want to denigrate the importance of either of those issues: Tunisia's liberation from a longtime (Western supported) dictator is both important to its people, but also to many African and Arab countries, inspiring the youth to break from their autocratic government. The situation in Lebanon is critical because for a long time it has been seen as a symbol of democracy for the region but also has been an indirect battle field between forces supported by the United States and others supported by Iran. However, I've chosen to talk about what I consider to be wise moves by the Palestinians because I believe these decisions can have much long longer lasting effects to a conflict that has gone on for too long.

To start it off, I'll say that I, like the most of the international community recognizes that Hamas won the free elections years ago but was rejected by Israel and the U.S. A lot has happened since then with a divide along party lines as Fatah (on political party) generally rules over the West Bank of Palestine and Hamas controls Gaza of Palestine. After the split, Israel and the U.S. decided to fund the Palestinian Authority (in charge of the West Bank) to help improve the lives of Palestinians living there. At the same time, greater restrictions were placed on Gaza to intentionally make life worse for millions of people. This was the attempt by the U.S. to force the people of Gaza to reject Hamas by making their lives worse. Gaza is now constantly mentioned as the world's largest prison as Israel greatly controls all water, food, electricity, humanitarian aid traveling in the small region. 

Regardless of whether one agrees with the more aggressive attempt by Hamas or more peaceful discussions of the Palestinian Authority (although they do have a military wing that has fought Hamas) we can all agree that both initiatives weren't bearing any fruit. Hamas' ideological fight to destroy or replace Israel is unrealistic and their means are those of a deprived people with little to no resources. I'm not a fan of militant struggle however the "talks" by Fatah with the West have been extremely frustrating. Even as conditions have improved, Israel failed to continue a freeze on thousands of illegal settlements in the West bank. Without a freeze, no Palestinian Authority can discuss peace as their sovereignty is being undermined by those they are in talks with. With the failure of the U.S. administration to stop the freeze, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has refused to continue talks for peace. This comes at an unfortunate time since Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a right wing loony who believes a two state solution that leaves a Palestine as nothing more than a meaningless territory with no sovereignty.

In the face of failed talks, continued settlement building, and the unpractical path that Hamas is trying to lead, the Palestinian Authority has made a very smart and aggressive move. It is gathering support for recognition of Palestinian statehood. In other words, they are working to get more and more countries to recognize Palestine as an official country with rights and sovereignty; thus officially bringing in more support against Israel's settlement building as well as its occupation of the West Bank. Several blogs picked it up as 2011 strategy (the peaceful one). The Palestinian President is trying to gain recognition of the state based on the 1967 borders established.

As Jesse Rosenfeld and Joseph Dana mention in their Opinion piece, the solidarity cause for Palestine in Israel has stopped being limited to its national politics. As frustration with failing talks has grown, the movement has now gone global. 

As far as I know, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Bolivia already recognize the state of Palestine. Israeli officials now expect a several more countries to recognize as dozens of European countries upgrade Palestine's diplomacy status to those of recognized states (but that isn't an official recognition of a state). Just recently Russia's President made a historical visit to Palestine as the first Russian President to make the diplomatic visit solely for the purpose of Palestine. Russia has recognized Palestine as a state for several decades now and has now promised to work with neighboring Jordan to formalize the statehood of a Palestine.

This move is wise, and it isn't going unmatched. That's why there in a Haaretz article titled "Jerusalem scrambles as European states move to upgrade ties with Palestinians." As a move of solidarity and Inspiration the Palestinian Mission in Washington raised up a Palestinian flag in support of the new direction.

The official statehood of Palestine would not only bring greater arguments against Israel settlments in the West Bank, but also gain support against what I call the "de-Arabisation" of Jerusalem as Israel forces more Arabs out for Jewish residents. Statehood also gives a greater push for officially including Palestine in the UN General Assembly as well as the right to address racial discrimination against Palestinians by Israel throughout its history and for its future.  Even Haaretz has run a piece titled "When the Messiah Comes, Israel will Deport Him" to display the abuses and discrimination by the Israeli state against non Israelis and foreigners. 

The move is garnering great opposition from Israel which is tarnslating to lobbying work from Israeli/Jewish lobbies all over Europe and surely AIPAC in the U.S. (the largest and most well funded lobby in the U.S.). The direction of the Palestinians is smart in my opinion and will lead to a more peaceful approach to the peace process in the long run. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, and who is justified to do what, I think that all Israelis can identify with the idea of self Statehood and having a country to look up to; that is all that Palestinians are trying to do now. Palestinian history and politics has been far from perfect and sometimes extremely unethical, but there comes a time when we must recognize that there is no "Palestinian problem," Israel, with its extreme Prime Minister is proving to be more difficult in the process and is weakening the image of his country. There is hope that it is moving away from it's extremes, see here. Israel is here to stay, Palestinians and the world know this, but Israelis and Zionists must come to terms that the Palestinian state is inevitable; unless they do so, Israel's argument for protection will continue to fade in legitimacy as will its brand.