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Tattering ME peace process
Fazal Hakeem
Email:fazalhakeem2@hotmail.com
To boost the faltering ME peace plan, US Secretary of State Dr.
Condoleezza Rice visited Israel and Palestine on 30-31 March, 2008 for
the second time the same month. Focus of the visit was to ease Israeli
travel restrictions on Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and
resumption of bilateral talks to put the tattering peace process back on
track. After her arrival, Dr. Rice stated” I will spend a good deal of
time on issues concerning the West Bank and issues concerning the
ability to provide better life for people of the West bank, including
ways to improve the movement access”. Rice visit was a part of US
so-called diplomacy to secure a good deal before President Bush leave
office in January 2009. Talks between the two sides were started after
US sponsored conference held at Annapolis on 27-29 November 2007 after
seven years of hiatus. Both the leaders had vowed to ink a historic deal
by end 2008.
Evil machinations divided the beleaguered Palestinians into the West
Bank and Gaza Strip entities. Israel had declared Gaza a hostile entity
in September, 2007. Should one expect a Palestinian state in the
prevailing circumstances. Palestinian President has accused Israel of
dividing Palestinian territories into isolated cantons to prevent the
creation of a state despite its pledge to peace process. Efforts for a
Palestinian state would be a futile exercise without looking at the hard
facts. In addition to blame Hamas for bombardment Israeli territories,
Israeli fundamentalist leadership is trying to implicate Hamas in
smuggling of Iranian supplied weapons across the border with Egypt ,
where a barrier fence was blown apart in January. It was left open for
nearly two weeks before it was closed in early February. Israel and USA
want to defeat Iran , Hezbullah in Lebanon and Hamas in one shot. During
Annapolis conference, Israeli and Palestinian were agreed to hold
bi-weekly meeting. The talks were suspended in the wake of a deadly
Israeli operation in Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in February this year. No
visible progress is made since Annapolis Summit due to Israeli
settlement activity in occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem . The
quartet comprising of USA , Russian Federation , UNO and EU had drafted
a roadmap in 2003 which calls upon Israel to freeze settlements and
Palestinians are to stop violence.
Israel and its supporters did not tire to blame Palestinians for
violence. Criminal connivance at Israeli highhandedness is the primary
cause of disturbance in the Middle East . Israel is the land grabber. It
has the backing of so-called civilized world. Lately in March, Israeli
authorities announced construction of 600 new homes at an Israeli Pisgat
Zeev settlement in the occupied West Bank . Israel considers West Bank
to be a part of the Holy City . On the other hand Palestinians want to
make Eastern part of the Holy City as a capital of their future state.
The municipality announced that “The plan is a part of a global
initiative by the Mayor of Jerusalem to build 4,000 housing units in the
city to ease access to housing for young couples”. It is a fait accompli
that settlement on occupied land is the stumbling block to revived peace
talks. Construction plan is a challenge to the world and participants of
the Annapolis conference. According to Peace Now activists group report”
Not a single project was frozen”. Despite US and EU pressure Israeli
Premier Ehud Olmert stated on 21 March before the visit of Dr. Rice that
the construction would continue at settlements in West Bank and Eastern
Jerusalem .
Since its illegal creation at the cost of Arabs peace and integrity,
Israel has adopted a policy of violence and destruction. Its
highhandedness and gross violations of human rights are happenings on
daily basis. The Trojan Horse claims that it does not commit any crime.
Criticizing the illegitimate Israeli entity is billboard as “
Anti-Semitism”. OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Disanglu during OIC
Conference in Dakar last month had demanded that Israeli “aggressions
and heinous crimes” be brought before the International Criminal Court.
Ground realities substantiate that such a demand is some thing to “ask
for the moon”. Israel policy both as a state and under the “mandate” is
known as ethnic cleansing, massacre, the flattening of Arab villages,
confiscation of Palestinian property running into billions of dollars.
The land is being financed to facilitate Jews migration to Israel ”.
Farms and orchards of Palestinians are destroyed. Their waters are
diverted to Jewish settlements.
Israeli always defended massacre of Palestinians to protect Jewish
population. Its stubbornness to continue with settlements project is a
message to deliberately put obstacles to any attempt for peace and a
Palestinian state. Israeli continued whimsical policy has the backing of
the champions of humanity and protection of human rights. Focus of
Israel and its supporters is; (i) Hamas and Hezbullah activities are
inhibiting the regional peace process ; (ii) Iranian nuclear program is
dangerous ;(iii) Syria is blamed for creating problems in Lebanese
Presidential election; (iv) Iran is being implicated in Iraqi turmoil to
camouflage the occupational forces failure. Unfortunately, no serious
efforts are made to find the root causes of the situation. Rather the
world is compelled to fight for Israeli interests. The German Chancellor
Ms. Angela Merkel visited Israel on 16-18 March, 2008. She addressed the
Israeli parliament for more than 60 years after the Nazi Holocaust that
killed 6 million Jews. Iranian President has questioned truth about
Holocaust. In her remarks at the Ben-Gurian airport Ms. Angela Merkel
stated “I am grateful we can open a new chapter in relations between our
two countries”. Israeli Premier has termed Germany as a strategic ally”.
The German Chancellor has called on Iran to halt nuclear program. Israel
makes propaganda campaign that Iranian civilian nuclear program is a
threat to its existence.
Peace efforts should not be aimed to protect Israel only. Its policies
have hostage the regional peace. Asking Palestinians to cease their
activities without any reciprocal arrangements will not deliver.
Palestinians have the right to an independent state. Denying or using
delaying tactics would further complicate the situation. Developed world
alround assistance could not and would never bestow Israel with a
peaceful life unless some viable arrangements are finalized with the
Palestinians both in Gaza and West bank. Israeli continued aggression,
brutalism, violations of human rights is a recipe to further torpedo the
peace process. Israel policy not to give up some places as a part of
final peace agreement and go ahead with its illegal settlements policy
in occupied territories need complete revision. During Annapolis Summit,
President Bush had stressed Israel that Independent Palestine would
provide them Security to live in peace. No doubt (i) status of
Jerusalem; (ii) demarcation of borders; (iii) establishment of security;
(iv)Jewish settlement in Palestinian territories and (v) return of
Palestinian refugees are the sticking points which need resolution to
materialize the dream of an Independent State of Palestine. Any strategy
to continue with bifurcation of Palestinians into Gaza and West Bank
would be suicidal for all parties that has already made the peace
process bumpy.
