Unrealistic summit
The Sharm Summit of the anti-Hamas Quartet took place without much fanfare. As expected, Israel is the one to make concessions to bolster Abbas, including releasing m$200 tax funds and 250 Fatah prisoners from Israeli jails. We are told that these will be people who do not have "blood on their hands," i.e. they have not murdered Israelis as part of their terrorism. This was apparently not agreed in advance by Olmert's Cabinet, so he must have been persuaded to do this by his three Arab friends.
Hamas partly undercut the Summit by releasing a video tape of the IDF captive Cpl. Shalit the day of the Summit. They are very PR savvy. However, the captors (who are supposed to be the so-called "Army of Islam") say that they will not release him except for "thousands" of prisoners. So Israel is once again in a no-win situation. By giving prisoners to Abbas, Olmert has upped the ante for Shalit's exchange.
In a separate development, former British PM Tony Blair, now jobless, is about to be appointed the special representative of the real Quartet, consisting of the US, UN, EU and Russia. The main problem is that Russia, unlike the rest, still does not officially regard Hamas as a terrorist organization, and campaigns for Israel and the West to deal with Hamas. This is a difficult circle to square.
But, Blair should be a good man for the job. He certainly has the international credentials, and has proved himself to be supportive of Israel as well as balanced regarding the "two state solution." But, now that there are three states in Palestine/Israel, this particular Road can only be traversed by ignoring Gaza, at least for the time being. However, the stability of Fatah in the West Bank is probably the most questionable aspect of this Plan, and pouring money and other concessions at Abbas may not make much difference. Most depends now on how Abbas and his new Govt. really function in the near future. Blair may be able to help with this.
Recently I saw a Palestinian journalist in London interviewed on the BBC. He made the point that since the Palestinains have kept knowledge of exactly where they came from in what is now Israel alive thru several generations, it is impossible for them to accept anything other than "the right of return." He asked the interviewer if she would give up that right, and of course she demurred. But, this is not a specifically Hamas viewpoint and is certainly shared by the Palestinians on theWest Bank. How many of the readers of this letter still reside in the house they or their family lived in 60 years ago, and how many would or could go back after numerous wars? The Palestinian humanitarian and emotional appeal is intended for sentimental leftists and those unfamiliar with the real situation in the Middle East. The return to the pre-1967 borders, which the Arab participants at the Sharm Summit projected as the need for Israel to undertake, and the return of the so-called "refugees" are beyond the bounds of reality, except for the destruction of Israel. Yet, if this is what the three moderates continue to feed their people there can be no realisable peace. Maybe having lost to the radicals might cause them to move to the center and become more realistic, but I doubt it. Can they ask Israel for less than Hamas?
Hamas partly undercut the Summit by releasing a video tape of the IDF captive Cpl. Shalit the day of the Summit. They are very PR savvy. However, the captors (who are supposed to be the so-called "Army of Islam") say that they will not release him except for "thousands" of prisoners. So Israel is once again in a no-win situation. By giving prisoners to Abbas, Olmert has upped the ante for Shalit's exchange.
In a separate development, former British PM Tony Blair, now jobless, is about to be appointed the special representative of the real Quartet, consisting of the US, UN, EU and Russia. The main problem is that Russia, unlike the rest, still does not officially regard Hamas as a terrorist organization, and campaigns for Israel and the West to deal with Hamas. This is a difficult circle to square.
But, Blair should be a good man for the job. He certainly has the international credentials, and has proved himself to be supportive of Israel as well as balanced regarding the "two state solution." But, now that there are three states in Palestine/Israel, this particular Road can only be traversed by ignoring Gaza, at least for the time being. However, the stability of Fatah in the West Bank is probably the most questionable aspect of this Plan, and pouring money and other concessions at Abbas may not make much difference. Most depends now on how Abbas and his new Govt. really function in the near future. Blair may be able to help with this.
Recently I saw a Palestinian journalist in London interviewed on the BBC. He made the point that since the Palestinains have kept knowledge of exactly where they came from in what is now Israel alive thru several generations, it is impossible for them to accept anything other than "the right of return." He asked the interviewer if she would give up that right, and of course she demurred. But, this is not a specifically Hamas viewpoint and is certainly shared by the Palestinians on theWest Bank. How many of the readers of this letter still reside in the house they or their family lived in 60 years ago, and how many would or could go back after numerous wars? The Palestinian humanitarian and emotional appeal is intended for sentimental leftists and those unfamiliar with the real situation in the Middle East. The return to the pre-1967 borders, which the Arab participants at the Sharm Summit projected as the need for Israel to undertake, and the return of the so-called "refugees" are beyond the bounds of reality, except for the destruction of Israel. Yet, if this is what the three moderates continue to feed their people there can be no realisable peace. Maybe having lost to the radicals might cause them to move to the center and become more realistic, but I doubt it. Can they ask Israel for less than Hamas?
posted by Jack Cohen at 11:38 AM
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