The future of Abbas-Netanyahu negotiations

The future of Abbas-Netanyahu negotiations

Israeli and Palestinian leaders have launched a new round of peace negotiation, holding their first direct talks in nearly two years at a US-sponsored summit in Washington DC. The next round of talk will be held in the Middle East on September 14, where US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Special Envoy George Michell will be present.. The Israel and Palestinian leaders vowed to have a second round of talks in the Middle East, possibly in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sham el-Sheikh. They also agreed to meet every two weeks thereafter. Holding regular discussions and meetings is expected to lessen the casualties caused mostly towards the Palestinians who actually don’t have any sophisticated arms to face the modern armed forces of Israel. The solution lies in discussion and concession, not in the arms struggle. It can only linger the peace process, which both the sides must heartily accept.

In opening some four hours of talks in Washington, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she understood the ‘ suspicion and skepticism’ leading up to the meetings. “I know the decision to sit at this table was not easy.” She told Abbas and Netanyahu in a chandeliered room at the State Department, joined by their delegates. ‘”Thank you for your courage and commitment.” “We expect you to be prepared to recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people” Netanyahu told Abbas, as the two sat on either side of Hillary with their national flags behind them. Such a move would be politically difficult for Abbas,as it could undermine the right-of-return claims of Palestinian refugees who left or fled Israel when it was created in 1948. Their children and generations have still been inflicted by Israeli armed force’s torture. Abbas appeared conciliatory saying, “ we consider security as essential and vital both for us and for you, and we will not accept that anyone commits any act that would harm your security or ours.”

It is known to the world that Israel tightly controls access and egress from the Gaza Strip, which is run by Hamas group, a rival of Abba’s Palestinian Authority and a fierce opponent of the peace talks. They never agree ‘two-state’ solution probably because they cannot take repose on the Israelis, and hence peaceful co-existence might not be possible.
Michell said, “ Our goal is to resolve all of the core issues within one year. And the parties themselves have suggested and agreed that the logical way to proceed to tackle them is to try to reach a framework agreement first.” He continued , “ Both Netanyahu and Abbas condemned all forms of violence that target innocent civilians and pledged to work together to maintain security. They also renewed their commitment to a two-state solution, which entails the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. “ Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state formally opened the summit saying the United States cannot and will not impose solution to the conflict. “I know the decision to sit at this table was not easy. Yet being here today, you each have taken an important step toward freeing your people from the shackles of a history we cannot change and moving toward a future of peace and dignity that only you can create.”

The final status has been under discussion for a long time now. It includes five core issues—delineation of the borders of Israel, future of the Jewish settlements on the West Bank, future of Jerusalem , return of Palestinian refugees to their homes and security guarantee for Israel. Really all these five issues are very critical. Israel must freeze the settlement first which the Palestinian side has been urging for long. Until and unless they stop further continuing the settlement, the peace talks whatever it may be, probably will not go ahead. The world does not want to see the same fate and result of talks, discussions and peace deals. Both sides must agree to the point that arms conflict can never bring any solution whatever powerful nation Israel might be and whatever hatred the Palestinians hold in their breast. The land of which they want to build Palestine did not originally belong to Israel before 1948. Nearly 78% of the land of original Palestine under British mandate is what constitutes Israel now. The remaining 22% of the land belonged to Jordan (West Bank) and Egypt (Gaza), which were occupied by Israel in 1967 war.

We know that Abbas and Netanyahu are under pressure from their own parties and opposition. The members of Netanyahu government impose pressure on him not to concede to the point of settlement and sacrifice the interest of Israeli people. They know it well that Palestinians are far weaker than their military power and they have the strong support of the Westerners. So, what is the need to sacrifice their might, power and interest? On the other hand, Hamas who controls the Gaza condemns any negotiation with the Israelis. They also say that under the umbrella of Washington no negotiation can bring any lasting peace in the Middle East. If this kind of showing the back to each other goes on, when will the solution come and how?

Calling Western backed Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas a hostage of Israel, Ahmddinejad, the Iranian President, said the talks that he began with Israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on September 02 lacked legitimacy as he had no right to make concessions in the name of the Palestinian people. What do they want to negotiate about? Who are they representing? What are they going to talk about in every two weeks? He asked rhetorically about the Abbas negotiating team. Who have the right to sell a piece of Palestinian land? The people of Palestine and the people of the region will not allow them to sell even an inch of Palestinian land to the enemy. The negotiations are stillborn and doomed. “The fate of the Palestinian will be decided in Palestine and by the resistance of Palestinian and not in Washington, Paris or London.”- Ahmedinejad strongly said. Ever since the 1979 revolution, Iran has organized annual Palestinian solidarity marches across the country the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramamdan.

Another fear looms that Mahmoud Abbas lacks legitimacy because of deep divisions within the Palestinian National Authority. His tenure as president to PNA expired in January 2009 but he unilaterally extended it without the approval of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Militant Hamas, the majority party in the PLC, does not recognize Abbas as president who only controls the West Bank. Hamas controls Gaza and has declared that it will not accept any deal made by Abbas, which is a serious threat to the future of the peace deal and negotiation. And the greatest threat is continuing Israeli settlement in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. We, request all the representatives from Israel and Palestine to concede to these points otherwise any kind of peace deals or negotiations will end in smoke which will rather endanger their security and jeopardize the whole region.

Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431, 9355253(home)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com