<p>The focus of the summit between US President Barack Obama and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas last week was Gaza rather than the moribund peace process. Both leaders had no choice but to concentrate on Israel’s harsh treatment of the 1.5 million Palestinians who live in Gaza. Their dire and desperate situation was highlighted last week when Israeli naval commandos stormed a flotilla of ships bound for Gaza carrying human rights activists and aid in a bid to break Israel’s tight siege and blockade of the coastal enclave. Nine Turkish passengers on a cruise liner were killed, three dozen people were injured, and nearly 700 detained and deported. International outrage, has compelled the US, Israel’s close ally, to reconsider its support for the blockade and look for means to ease its negative impact on Gazans. <br /><br />But it is unclear what Obama intends to do. He has repeatedly said Israel’s siege and blockade are “unsustainable,” but he has offered no new thinking on how to end or ease it. Instead, he promised Abbas $400 million in aid, $10 million of which has been earmarked to build UN housing in Gaza. But Abbas has no means for transferring assistance to Gaza which is ruled by Hamas, branded a “terrorist organisation” by Washington at Israel’s behest. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that Obama will produce the cash. Following Israel’s devastating 2009 war on Gaza, the US pledged $900 million in aid but delivered only $200 million, very little of it to Gaza. Cash is not the only problem. At the beginning of his term Obama pressed for a halt to Israeli colonisation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Palestinians demand for their state, but he now speaks only of curbing colonisation.<br /><br />In spite of Washington’s pusillanimity, Abbas has agreed to continue with US-brokered proximity talks because these so far unproductive exchanges are “the only game in town.”<br /><br />For Abbas, Obama and Israeli Premier Binyamin Netanyahu such talks are essential. Abbas needs to show his people that the peace process remains the sole means of attaining statehood. Israel has gained a great deal by talking endlessly to the Palestinians while colonising the occupied territories. <br /><br />Dr Mahdi Abdel Hadi, head of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs in East Jerusalem, said the US cannot afford to allow the Palestinians and Arabs abrogate the 1993 Oslo accords or withdraw the Arab land-for-peace initiative of 2002. Israel also understands the need to keep these agreements in play. They provide it with security and protect US regional interests. Washington is determined to keep Fatah in power. Over the past five years, the US has built up the security role of the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority’s police apparatus. <br /><br />“As long as Mitchell comes,” Abdel Hadi observed, “Israel will observe a partial freeze in construction in Jerusalem and the settlements.” This keeps “the idea of withdrawal to the 1967 borders alive,” puts pressure on Israeli public opinion to accept this “solution,” and “shakes” Israel’s right-wing government. He said the policy seems to be: “If we can’t change Israel’s stance, the Israeli government will have to change,” perhaps by bringing centrist elements into the cabinet.<br /><br />Proximity talks<br /><br />Obama does not want Israel to attack Lebanon, Syria or Iran. “Israel cannot have war and work for peace at the same time,” Abdel Hadi stated. Finally, if proximity talks fail, Abbas hopes the US will convene an international conference which will seek to impose a two-state solution based on negotiations during the Clinton era and under previous Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Any solution would involve land swaps and the deployment of Nato forces, Hadi remarked.<br /><br />So far, proximity talks have achieved nothing. Palestinian government spokesman, Dr Ghassan Khatib told Deccan Herald, contradicting US claims that they have been “substantive” and fruitful.<br /><br />Khatib said the Palestinians are “building the institutions of the future state with the backing of the international community, encouraging a popular non-violent struggle against the occupation, and strengthening (their) international position.” He pointed out that Europe and the US are far more engaged now than during the Bush administration. Khatib said the US now understands that peace is in its own national interest.<br /><br />Khatib argued that if the peace process fails, the Palestinian Authority will go ahead with its plan to declare a state during 2011 and expects it will have the backing of the international community. He does not believe Israel will launch new wars. “Israel was successful in its last two wars (against Lebanon and Gaza). Neither Hamas nor Hizbollah will provoke Israel because the price tag is too high. Hamas, which rules Gaza, is taking strong measures against anyone” trying to launch attacks on Israel. </p>
<p>The focus of the summit between US President Barack Obama and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas last week was Gaza rather than the moribund peace process. Both leaders had no choice but to concentrate on Israel’s harsh treatment of the 1.5 million Palestinians who live in Gaza. Their dire and desperate situation was highlighted last week when Israeli naval commandos stormed a flotilla of ships bound for Gaza carrying human rights activists and aid in a bid to break Israel’s tight siege and blockade of the coastal enclave. Nine Turkish passengers on a cruise liner were killed, three dozen people were injured, and nearly 700 detained and deported. International outrage, has compelled the US, Israel’s close ally, to reconsider its support for the blockade and look for means to ease its negative impact on Gazans. <br /><br />But it is unclear what Obama intends to do. He has repeatedly said Israel’s siege and blockade are “unsustainable,” but he has offered no new thinking on how to end or ease it. Instead, he promised Abbas $400 million in aid, $10 million of which has been earmarked to build UN housing in Gaza. But Abbas has no means for transferring assistance to Gaza which is ruled by Hamas, branded a “terrorist organisation” by Washington at Israel’s behest. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that Obama will produce the cash. Following Israel’s devastating 2009 war on Gaza, the US pledged $900 million in aid but delivered only $200 million, very little of it to Gaza. Cash is not the only problem. At the beginning of his term Obama pressed for a halt to Israeli colonisation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Palestinians demand for their state, but he now speaks only of curbing colonisation.<br /><br />In spite of Washington’s pusillanimity, Abbas has agreed to continue with US-brokered proximity talks because these so far unproductive exchanges are “the only game in town.”<br /><br />For Abbas, Obama and Israeli Premier Binyamin Netanyahu such talks are essential. Abbas needs to show his people that the peace process remains the sole means of attaining statehood. Israel has gained a great deal by talking endlessly to the Palestinians while colonising the occupied territories. <br /><br />Dr Mahdi Abdel Hadi, head of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs in East Jerusalem, said the US cannot afford to allow the Palestinians and Arabs abrogate the 1993 Oslo accords or withdraw the Arab land-for-peace initiative of 2002. Israel also understands the need to keep these agreements in play. They provide it with security and protect US regional interests. Washington is determined to keep Fatah in power. Over the past five years, the US has built up the security role of the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority’s police apparatus. <br /><br />“As long as Mitchell comes,” Abdel Hadi observed, “Israel will observe a partial freeze in construction in Jerusalem and the settlements.” This keeps “the idea of withdrawal to the 1967 borders alive,” puts pressure on Israeli public opinion to accept this “solution,” and “shakes” Israel’s right-wing government. He said the policy seems to be: “If we can’t change Israel’s stance, the Israeli government will have to change,” perhaps by bringing centrist elements into the cabinet.<br /><br />Proximity talks<br /><br />Obama does not want Israel to attack Lebanon, Syria or Iran. “Israel cannot have war and work for peace at the same time,” Abdel Hadi stated. Finally, if proximity talks fail, Abbas hopes the US will convene an international conference which will seek to impose a two-state solution based on negotiations during the Clinton era and under previous Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Any solution would involve land swaps and the deployment of Nato forces, Hadi remarked.<br /><br />So far, proximity talks have achieved nothing. Palestinian government spokesman, Dr Ghassan Khatib told Deccan Herald, contradicting US claims that they have been “substantive” and fruitful.<br /><br />Khatib said the Palestinians are “building the institutions of the future state with the backing of the international community, encouraging a popular non-violent struggle against the occupation, and strengthening (their) international position.” He pointed out that Europe and the US are far more engaged now than during the Bush administration. Khatib said the US now understands that peace is in its own national interest.<br /><br />Khatib argued that if the peace process fails, the Palestinian Authority will go ahead with its plan to declare a state during 2011 and expects it will have the backing of the international community. He does not believe Israel will launch new wars. “Israel was successful in its last two wars (against Lebanon and Gaza). Neither Hamas nor Hizbollah will provoke Israel because the price tag is too high. Hamas, which rules Gaza, is taking strong measures against anyone” trying to launch attacks on Israel. </p>