reed writes

A WAY PAST THE IMPASSE

We have all seen the ultimate fruits of human stupidity in the Middle East.

The policy of fighting an enemy based on the old biblical rule of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” has finally shown the utter and complete moral and political bankruptcy of both sides in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The decades-long cycle of attack and retaliation is coming to a head and no one is quite sure what is on the table now. Genocidal feelings are in the air and there exists a palpable sense of doom in the region. It’s a crisis the like of which we have not seen in our lifetimes.

The Palestinian party in power- Hamas- is an extremist movement with religious underpinnings. Unquestionably- that makes it an unsuitable negotiating partner. That also makes rule by Hamas dangerous for Palestinians themselves, who really do want a modern democratic state. The elected Hamas Prime minister has wisely offered to step down.

The stubborn policy pursued by Hamas of refusing to recognize the fact of Israel’s right to exist, borders on a kind of deranged willful denial of reality. But- it resonates with many Palestinians because their yearning for justice is deeply felt and they want strong leadership; still, a majority of them would accept a government of national unity. Their desire for justice has not blinded them to the truth that Hamas is incapable of negotiating a just solution. It may, however, have blinded them to the drawbacks of a future state dominated by a religious group.

But there are two sides to every coin. The relentless unleashing of weapons of war by both sides, does not justify the attitude of either side, nor will it open the way to a solution, either in the short or the long term.

World leaders and especially the United States, seem content to see the crisis we are witnessing, continue. Israel appears happy to see Palestinian militants preparing for war… for any future war would be a win for Israel in the short term at least. Israel has an unlimited supply of the most sophisticated weapons the United States can devise and a vast supply in its own home-grown arsenal. The Palestinians have only their homemade rockets and smuggled bombs.

Moreover, Israel has the bomb and hundreds of tactical nuclear weapons; its government is prepared to use them.

The Palestinians are suffering from massive unemployment, malnutrition and widespread illness. These conditions are the product of flawed leadership on both sides and no leadership at the international level. The situation contains the seeds of destruction for all, including the rest of us.

If indeed there is some secret recipe for Armageddon, we can be sure that all of the necessary ingredients are now in the stew pot. They are cooking in the Middle Eastern kitchen, as we in the West hang around the entrance, in blissful denial both about what’s really happening and about how to reach a solution.

It’s only a matter of time until pro-Palestinian forces throughout the Arab and Muslim world begin to be even more engaged in what has become a “jihadist” struggle. The Palestine-Israel conflict has always been the kernel at the core of what the shallow men in office in Washington, London and Ottawa glibly call “The War on Terror”. That “War”, a misnomer from the moment Bush named it, is increasingly symbolic of the growing gap between east and west. The “War on Terror” is inextricably linked to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and there is no denying that fact.

The long decades of Israel’s expansionist settlement policies in the West Bank, the inexorable and ongoing settler-encroachment on Palestinian land and the callous indifference, incompetence and ambivalence of the international community…all of this is gradually prying the lid off the pressure cooker.

What to do?

The milquetoast, “afternoon tea” approach of the American President dovetails with the do-nothing attitude of his less-than-effective Secretary of State. The failure of American policy in Iraq and the debacle in Afghanistan have emboldened al Qaeda and other groups of renegade extremists. The lack of concerted action on Israel-Palestine has greatly increased the risk of terrorist activity. Britain and Canada have been willing collaborators with the U.S. President, in permitting wounds to fester and potentially fatal mistakes to be made.

This is now too serious and too critical to continue without strong and effective international action. But useful international action requires leadership that is committed to helping all of us, including Israelis and Palestinians, the rest of the Middle East and indeed the world, to step back from the brink.

Now that Bush has lost control of the American body politic and is no longer able to dictate to the world, what policies to follow, the time has come for genuine, multi-lateral action. Ironically, George Bush- now at the head of a bi-partisan U.S. government- could be the designated driver to get us out of the mess.

The impetus for action could well come from something called “The Iraq Study Group”, co-chaired by former Secretary of State, James Baker, who was prominent in the government of Bush’s father.

This group is attempting to chart a new course for America in Iraq. But Iraq can only be dealt with in the context of the entire region, including Iran and Syria. Baker is smart enough to recommend a comprehensive plan, which will- in all likelihood- include multi-lateral action on the Israel-Palestine issue.

The nature and success of that action will determine the future course of events and will decide whether we will bring peace to the Middle East- or face a future of endless conflict and war.

In order to lance the boil of hatred and contain the impulse to war and terror, the international community must first of all offer a significant measure of justice to the Palestinian people.

Palestinians must have a state of their own on land that was promised to them by the world community fifty-nine years ago. That means the dismantling of most illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the provision of a Palestinian capitol in Jerusalem and a fair settlement of the Palestinian refugee problem.

It also means an ironclad international security guarantee for the people of Israel, something which has already been endorsed by The Arab league.

It’s a fact of life that only the Americans, working together with the leading nations of both East and West, can implement an effective plan.

If these steps are taken firmly and unequivocally- and with united world support- there will be little further need to continue the “war on terror”. It will a humiliating change of course for Bush, but it would mean that he could leave a legacy of peace and security.