Give up on Obama, Disband the Palestinian Authority
By Sami Jamil Jadallah • Nov 5th, 2009 at 14:13 • Category: Analysis, Features, Israel, Newswire, Palestine, Somoud: Arab Voices of Resistance, Uprooted Palestinians' Testimonies, Zionism
WRITTEN BY Sami Jamil Jadallah
The issue of continuing and expanding Jewish settlements came back to haunt the Palestinian leadership that negotiated Oslo and continued to negotiate with Israel for the last 16 years while Israeli continued to build and expand its settlements, not to mention building the Apartheid Wall.
Now 16 years later finally the Palestinian leadership discovered there is a problem with the Jewish settlements. One has to wonder why did Arafat continue to negotiate with Israel while Israeli continued with its settlement program? And why did Abbas continue to negotiate with Netanyahu predecessor Olmert while Olmert continued with his settlement program not to mention his on War on Gaza?
There is something fundamentally wrong with this Palestinian leadership that accepted, and for so long, Israel’s settlements policy that saw settlements expand 150% since Oslo, while we hear nothing but lip service and denunciation from Ramallah, while it continues to deal with Israel business as usual.
Of course we do understand this leadership that lead the Palestinian people from one failure to another, from one disaster to another continues to proceed with its Oslo policies even though those policies simply failed to make a difference for the millions under occupation. Of course Oslo made a big and substantial difference to the leadership and its army of do-nothing functionaries.
The statement of Hillary Clinton that Israel made “unprecedented concessions” on the issue of settlements should be a red flag for the Palestinian leadership that America under Barack Obama is no different from America under George Bush and that peace in the Middle East is not an international issue but strictly a domestic issue. The Palestinian leadership has to come to terms with and has to understand that the powerful American Jewish leadership and community will never, ever allow any US president to proceed and make serious efforts in making peace possible in the Middle East. Peace is never in the interest of this leadership and community.
The shifting sands are not in the Middle East, the shifting sands are in Washington, with President Barack Obama under tremendous domestic pressure from the American Jewish leadership and community to simply give up on his commitments to make peace possible. Instead this leadership and community wants and is demanding President Barack Obama manage the conflict but not solve it. Hence the backtracking on the issue of settlements as illegal and obstacle to peace.
Of course Bibi Netanyahu is challenging the Palestinian leadership to start the negotiations without pre-conditions and as he stated “the Palestinians have been negotiating for the last 16 years while Israel was building the settlements why stop negotiating now?" And yes, perhaps Bibi Netanyahu is correct; why stop negotiating now? This is the question the Palestinian leadership must answer and now.
If the Palestinians and the leadership are counting on the US and the Obama administration to deliver peace or deliver Israel to withdraw and ends its occupation they better think twice. Now and for the foreseeable future there is no US president who can muster the courage to stand up to the powerful, vengeful and harmful American Jewish leadership and community. Peace for Israel, peace in the Middle East, ending the longest occupation in modern times will undermine the power and influence of this leadership and community, and its is not about to give all that up, even it means tens of thousands of lives are lost on both sides.
Now the Palestinian leadership has to understand that the people are fed with a dialed and inept leadership, fed up with the same excuses, fed up with everything that comes out of Ramallah and for that matter out of Gaza or Damascus. The people are fed up with the Oslo Team continuing to manage the Jewish Occupation as if there are no expanding settlements, as if there are no demolition of homes, as if there is no Apartheid Wall, as if there is no ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Jerusalem, as if there are no 650 security checkpoints and expanding, as if there are no targeted assassinations. The people are fed with up the Ramallah negotiation team, fed up with Hamas stupid rockets and claims of effective armed resistance, fed up with Hamas, with Fatah and fed up with the PLO and the same leadership that failed them for so long. The Oslo Team that managed the Jewish Occupation since Oslo must close shop and close today before tomorrow.
We all know this is rather a difficult decision to make, not because it is the right thing to do, or because it is in the best interest of the people, no, because such a decision to close down Oslo Shop has so much implication for the rights, benefits privileges and personal financial interest of a leadership and a team that are direct beneficiaries of the continuing Jewish Occupation. Oslo was a bonanza.
Senior members will have to give up very expensive multi-million dollar villas, give up fleet of cars for them and members of their families, give up all the personal security guards and armed escorts, give up their Israeli issued VIP cards, give up on evenings in posh Tel-Aviv restaurants and night clubs, give up on business interests with the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Occupations. They simply have to give up salaries and benefits in the 6 digits figures. They have to give up all of this. Of course, tens of thousands of Fatah members also have to give up salaries paid directly by the PA since it is doubtful if Israel will keep them on its payroll. Members of Hamas will also have to give up similar privileges if Oslo closes shop.
There is no other choice but to disband the Palestinian Authority and to call Oslo null and void since Israel never had any intention to give up the Occupation, give up on settlements and was only interested in a Palestinian partner that can manage the Occupation but not deliver on ending the Occupation. The Road Map was a dead end to start with designed to allow Israel to continue with its Occupation. The Palestinian Authority and the PLO must stop being the manager of the Jewish Occupation and must stop begging for funds to fund the Jewish Occupation; time to let Israel pay for its own occupation.
Mahmoud Abbas should take the first flight to New York and demand to speak before the UN General Assembly and there and then announce the disbanding of the Palestinian Authority and asking the United Nations to take over managing the Jewish Occupation from the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization. That step will make ending the Jewish Occupation not an American domestic issue but an international issue as well. The US and especially the Obama administration must then make up its mind whether it wants to manage the conflict to appease the powerful American Jewish leadership and community or it wants to end this conflict and do what is right, the only right thing to do, ending the Jewish Occupation that lasted for some 43 years. The Arabs also have a right to know where the Obama administration stands on ending the Jewish Occupation.
source: http://www.jeffersoncorner.com/give-up-on-obama-disband-the-palestinian-authority/
Sami Jamil Jadallah is Palestinian-American born in El-Bireh, Palestine, an international business and legal consultant, and a veteran of the US Army. His comments are posted at his website http://www.jeffersoncorner.com.
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not fair to blame israel for the security wall. it is a logical response to Palestinian teenage suicide bombers. Palestinians should be thanking Israel for saving their lives. The next step is to convince the Palestinians that non-violent approach is the best.
Earl. If you do enough research you will see the plans for the Aparthied Wall was there all along. The only thing needed was a good timing to sell it and market it to the world as a "Security Wall". If Israel wanted a Security Wall to protect its citizens it could have and should have built the Wall at its borders of 67 and as far as I am concerned they could have build a Wall that is a Mile High and NO one would give a damn, especially the Palestinians. However the Wall was build specifically to incorporate area C where all of the settlements are and of course where all the water sources are. I been the Wall, seen it and this is not a Security Wall, it is a Wall that is designed to steal, robb, cheat the Palestinians out of land, water, farms. Israel is a state in the stealing and robbing business. It is the largest criminal enterprise in modern time, and I mean in every way. Let not the media or clever marketing fool you. If the Wall did in fact saved Israeli lives, why Israel continues with its killings, murder, destructions of homes, farms, arrests, humiliation at check points, check points. Dont tell me.. This nation and people must be very unhappy and very angry at who they are and what they became. They need mental help that not even G-d can give them. They are beyond redemption. They are on a course of self destruct from within their own Jewish communities. Destruction of Israel will not happens at the hands of the Arabs but at the hands of the Jews and of course with the support of the US and especially US Congress.
Sami – a very passionate reply. You are smart not to put on a suicide bomb like the mentally ill children that Hamas preys on.
The wall never told a Palestinian teenager to kill himself.
It's time for Palestinians to accept responsibility for the silly intifada which did nothing except show the world that Palestinians are only good at throwing rocks and putting on suicide bomb vests.
Well Earl, what can I say, it same God made overslept on the job and allowed one Arab and Muslim to slip through. Of course the Israeli Jews do not need suicide bombers to do the killings, they have the tanks, the cluster bombs, the F-16 and F-15, the Apatches, why in the hell do they need suicide bombers. I always said that if Israel want to end this reckless and uncivilized behavior by Palestinians they should lobby Congress and equip the Palestinians with tanks, Bazookas, F-15 and F-16 and then I can assure you the lunatics who recruite suicide bombers will be out of business… Who want to ride a bus if they can fly a jet to kill. take care and all the best. You check on who was the first to introduce terrorists acts in the confict. I can assure you it was not a Mohamed, but a Moshe.
Sami
the wall is a necessary evil for so long as Palestinians violently reject the notion of living side-by-side with a Jewish state. Curious to hear why you think Camp David failed – when you had an Israeli P.M. and a USA president desperate to make peace. Currently, there is no Palestinian who can speak for both Gaza and West Bank. So how can there be more progress now? There can be no progress until someone knocks some sense into Hamas.
Earl, There was an occupation, land theft, destructions of homes, uprooting of farms, criminal settlers WAY before there was a Hamas or suicide bombings.The Jewish Occupation went on as if G-d issued a free morgtage plans and discount financing with 50 years arms like those devised by our " cousins" the Wall Street bankers. The Palestinians back in 1988 announced they are willing and ready to recongize Israel within 67 borders. George Schults and his Zionists cronies and in Congress were not yet to talk. Even someone like Senator Charles Percy was defeated when an Israeli Jew, Haiem Sabban dumped one million dollars to defeat him simply because he advocated an "even handed policy" in the Middle East. Oslo was not a peace agreement, Oslo was a managment contract between an Israeli prime minister desperate to end the First Intifada and a desperate Yasser Arafat who found himself sidelined without much cash after he supported and sided with his buddy Saddam. Oslo was not about ending the Occupation, OIso was all about Israel shifting all of the legal and financial obligations to Arafat and Arafat accepted all of this since he and his cronies will then have a chance to fleece and line up their pockets to replenish all the tens of billions they stole and hid in private accounts. Camp David as a plan designed by non other than two die hard Zionists Dennis Ross and Martin Indyke who wanted to put Arafat in a corner knowing that Israel did not offer any thing on paper. The stupid reckless and irresponsible Arafat did not know how to handle the situation. Instead of having a press conference open to all where he discussed and answered all issues, he left down in the dark leaving it to Clinton and all his Jewish advisors to lay the blame on Arafat. There was nothing there on paper.. Too bad the Palestinian leadership lack the smart and the intelligence needed to manage a leadership like that of Israel. Next question.
Sami
1. it's always misleading when people "we'd accept a state within pre-1967 borders" because they ALSO want a full right of return to Israel's pre-1967 territory. The victims are the Palestinian people who are led to believe that this is a realistic goal. Palestinian leaders exploit this rage and frustration via "spontaneous uprisings" and media-friendly rock-throwing.
2. by your definition, any one who wants Israel to continue to exist as a Jewish state is a "zionist". It's a very broad definition. What else makes Indyk and Ross a "zionist"?
3. you do not give Arafat enough credit. He pioneered legendary terrorist tactics like shooting up Israeli schools, killing athletes at the Olympics and blowing up synagogues.
Earl. Why should any Palestinians from Jaffa, Haifa, Lor or Ramleh give up his home, his land to make room for a Jew from Poland, Morocco or Brooklyn? This is something that all of you need to understand. I do not subscribe to the idea of the "Chosen People" who are entitled to the land simply because they are Jews. The Jewish Question is a European issue and is never an Arab or a Palestinian issue. Why it Ok for settlers now to claims certain houses in Jerusalem they claim to belong to them and a Palestinian could not claim his house in Haifa or Jaffa… Am I saying something that makes no sense, or are the Jews entitled to a special treatement unlike other people. The last time I check, I did not get a message from God ordering me to treat Jews as Special. The Palestinians have the absolute right of return that Jews who left Europe or other Arab countries have the same right. I do not subscribe to the idea of a swap. Transfer of people is a Western idea, that has its roots in Europe. Ah by the way… The Jews took over Palestine with rozes not guns. Like I said read about the history of Jewish terrorism before you lecture any one on Arab terrorism.
Sami
if that's the way you feel, then stop pretending that the problem is solved by Israel withdrawing from West Bank.
The Palestinians are still seeking to remove the Jewish State.
It has nothing to do with "Chosen People".
As there are 20 + Islamic states in the area (which ALL treated Jews like second class citizens, see also Coptic Christians in Egypt) – there can be one Jewish state. In every Arab country Arabs live in homes once owned by Jews who did not receive compensation. They were forced to flee due to discrimination, outright violent threats, etc. Why else would they choose to leave their homeland and go to a desert (Israel)?
Refugees are a worldwide pheneomen, not just European. The only difference is that the Arab nations kept Palestinian refugees for 60 years. Majority of Jordan is Palestinian – why isn't that a Palestinian state?
True, refugees are a world wide problem and adding the Jews to the list should not make much difference, they will become like the rest. Perhaps with the exception of not more than 15% original, authentic Palestinian Jews, all the rest of the Israelis came from some 100 countries. As such they have some 100 countries they can go back to, if you are asking the Palestinians to simply disburse in the 22 countries. It never made sense to me, at least I see nothing compelling to me to accept the notion that the Palestinians should remain refugees in order to for the Jews to be in Israel. In fact at one time I was in support of a two state solutions, I am no longer of this mind. It is either both Palestinians and Israelis ( not world Jews) live together as equal citizens of Israelis simply have to leave and they can spend the next 60 years as refugees. As such if you care for Israel then you get the American Jews to stop being an obstacle to peace and push Israel to accept a two state solutions with Jerusalem as a shared capital.
a much more realistic solution is to educate Palestinians that they will not be returning to pre-1967 Israel.
You know it and I know it. It's time to stop posturing like it's ever going to happen.
Fine, no problem, I start teaching the Palestinians that they will not be coming back to Palestine of 48 and you start teaching the Israelis that there stay is temporary and have to look forward to going back where they came from. Perhaps then we can invite the Chines, perhaps we can auction the country, then the Jews can buy it. It is fair.
"Palestinians that they will not be coming back to Palestine of 48 and you start teaching the Israelis that there stay is temporary and have to look forward to going back where they came from"
That is a contradictory statement, and the history of Jews in Israel (Palestine, that area of world, or whatever makes you feel good calling it) go back just as far as "Palestinians", of not farther. Once the land was divided Israel can have whatever immigration policy they want just as any other country.
We can argue and go in circles and keep killing one another, or we can look ahead. The choice is up to the Israelis and palestinians. Israel should get out of WB, and Palestinians should have their own country, and both should thrive and live in peace. That, unfortunately seems too much to ask of both the Israelis and the Palestinians, so we'll continue to fight. BOTH will lose.
Point is, life's not fair for anyone, and difficult decisions must be made for long term health and peace.
I
Jon, go and tell that to the Israelis, tell that to the leaders of the American Jewish community, go and tell that to members of Congress, certainly go and tell that to President Obama… all it takes is UN Security Council Resolution that ends the Jewish Occupation, establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Of course do you think the US have the political independence to make such a decision and not veto it. Obama will be out of the White House in less than 24 hours with some Zionist organizations making charges criminal and false charges against him. They may even seek to replace him with his VP and they certainly have and will have and can demand the votes in Congress. But for the US and the American Jewish leadership and community, we would have peace long time ago. However it was never in the interest of the American Jewish leadership to have peace. What can they sell their community. My friend, keep in mind when the blood flow, the money flow and when the money flow is the life line of power and control over Congress. It is as simple as that.
Sami – by what you say about Obama, it's clear you don;t understand US politics. A year ago your cynical type was predicting Obama could never get elected. Now you think he would be arrested? You must be thinking of Iran, not USA! Jews lived in Iran for thousands of years but could never ever be in government. Today the few remaining Jews in Iran live in fear of being arrested for "espionage" (i.e., sending an email to Israel). Thankfully they have Israel to escape to.
Sami, can you tell us why Arab countries keep Palestinians in refugee camps forever? How long must a Palestinian live in Kuwait, for example, before he becomes Kuwaiti.
Earl. For your information, I know the American political system too well and I am a part of it. I did vote for Obama, in fact did sponsor several websites in support of his candidacy and did contribute to his campaign what the laws allowed and you should my posting on Obama here at Palestine Think Tank and at http://www.jeffersoncorner.com. However I did expect President Obama to stand up and tell both side that the conflict must end, and end based on UN Resolutions 242 and 338. However I think President Obama could not neglect the pressure and blackmail he faces on the domestic front through the undue influence of the American Jewish community and leadership. The American Jewish leadership and community is the single obstacle to peace. As for the “Iranian Jews” I think they played a very key an important, perhaps destructive role during the reign of the late Shah and were the forefront of the alliance between the Savak and Mossad. I do not think that Jews, or Muslims or any groups should think they are entitled to a special treatment or considerations. I as a US citizen do not want or expect to be treated as an “American Muslims” but to be treated as citizen of the US no different than a a Jew, or Christians or Atheists or a Black or Latin Americans. I do not believe in a nation of majority or minority citizens. I believe in a nation of all citizens, equal rights for all citizens. Now I may be a part the Democratic Party and we may be in the minority but it does not mean that our rights as citizens should be less than the Republicans. I think it is time for “Jews” to look to being part of society, but not special part of society, deserving of special treatment.
Sami – there are at least 20 Islamic republics in this world. In each one, non-muslims are second class citizens, treated the same way you easily slander the thousand year old Jewish community with false charges. You are the first person I have heard blame Iranian Jews – you are probably mad that most escaped Iran and no longer have to suffer its Islamist regime.
Jews are full members of U.S. society, they make many contributions and are a member of society. As sure as most NYC angry taxi drivers are muslims, you will find a lot of smart happy professionals are Jewish. They do not encourage martyrdom, they do not hang people in effigy. I recommend this for Muslims too and Palestinians. Enough with the suicide bomb shtick – it's for losers.
Earl, who told you that I accept or agree with a "Muslim" or "Jewish" or "Christian" state. I believe that states should not have a religion or faith, but people do. State institutions should not be a part of the religious establishment. Citizens are citizens irrespective of their faith or lack of it. As for the Iranian Jews, I am not an expert on Iranian Jews, all I can say it is too bad for all Iranian citizens that the Islamic Iran turned out this way. It could have be a model for all to follow. However the Mullahs want to make sure they are as powerful as the Rabbis in Israeli and have a role to rule. I do not believe that clergymen or religious leaders should play any role whatsoever in the affairs of the state. Too bad so called "Muslim" states did not invest in education and science. Here again, we should thank the US for the support it gives to these states. The US supported the Shah as he went on to rape Iran and blunder its wealth spending $2 Billions on his coronation. The US supported Saddam for many years as he went ahead with his killing machines killings Kurds and Shiites and engaging in war against Iran. Only we he went over board the US decided to step in. The US support a state that declares itself a "Jewish" state with arms and weapons, and cluster bombs. Yes, the US is on all side of Israel as a Jewish State and on the side of Pakistan as a Muslim state. I have no problems with Jews being part of the society, it is their right. I only object to their role as an obstacle to peace. The US Jewish community can and should play a key role in the peace, only if it decides which is more important to it, Israel at peace with no blood spilled, or its power and control over Congress.