The greatest accomplishments always rest on one's willingess to take immense risks by making decisions that make us uncomfortable. If Secretary of State Rice is truly serious about taking steps to build a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, she will do precisely that by recognizing the the coalition unity government of Palestine, brokered by "US ally" Saudi Arabia.
The agreement by the two rival Palestinian factions of Fatah (moderates led by Mahmoud Abbas, Arafat's elected succesor) and Hamas (radical Islamists, lambasted by the West, but popular in Palestine due to its appearance as a non-corrupt entity) should have been considered good news for anyone hoping to resume any sort of dialogue for peace. Yet, the US and Israel have threatened to refuse recognition of the Palestinian government until Hamas directly states Israel's right to exist and denounces violence.
Perhaps these threats are mere rhetoric designed to continue pressure. Nevertheless, I believe it would be a mistake for the US to refuse the new Palestinian government for several reasons.
Although the Hamas-Fatah agreement stopped short of explicit recognition, it implied something similar with the pledge to "respect" past international agreements. I know that may not satisfy Israelis in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, but it is unrealistic to expect Palestinians to put down their weapons in one day. For many Palestinians, peace and recognition of Israel will be a process--a long and ardous one where small steps are taken. Yet these small steps must yield some results in the form of US acceptance if they are to bear fruit rather than disillusionment. This was a critical moment in Palestinian politics and was widely lauded by average citizens in the West Bank and Gaza. For America to shun this truth has the potential to move Palestinians ever closer to the fringes of violence and destruction.
The agreement represented an important event in the region's politics. Saudi Arabian King Prince Abdullah personally led negotiations in Mecca, Islam's holiest city. In this context, it is important in its implications in US-Saudi relations and beyond. If America aspires to limit Iranian interests in the region, supporting a Sunni-led dialogue and helping it become succesful has the potential to undermine Shiite Iran, which considers Middle East peace a danger to its regional ambitions.
The bottom line is if Americans are truly searching to build a foundation for peace, a series of risks must be taken. Sure those risks may make us feel uncomfortable, but I believe the potential benefits can make it worth it. The current gridlock of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations has done little to boost American interests in the Middle East.
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3 comments:
Your blog looks great. I'm going to check out some of the sites you read.
Sure the US should recognize Palestine. But for the past 60 years, there have been plenty of people who don't recognize Israel. Plenty of Arabs in the area believe that the country is still Palestine.
So here's my proposal. The day the Palestinians become peaceful people, we'll recognize them as a nation and become peaceful ourselves.
It's that simple, yet it's that complicated.
Oren, I understand where you are coming from completely. But to me at least, ignoring what seems like a compromise made by Palestinians and bringing no real diplomatic options to the table will only validate the radicals. Diplomacy and compromise won't work if no tangible gains are made.
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