One Palestine - from the river to the sea

Submitted by Pat (United States), Jun 19, 2007 at 10:42

Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in mid-2005 deprived Gaza of its one stabilizing element.

Who in Palestine wants peaceful co-existence with Israel?

When Israel occupied Gaza with settlements it was pointed to as the cause for Paletinian violence. When Israel left Gaza - lock, stock and barrel - its decades-long occupation of Gaza was pointed to as the cause for Palestinian violence. It was as if Israeli occupation had done egregious damage to the Palestinian psyche which could never be undone. Not even the establishment of a separate Palestinian state can heal the wound. Some Gazans are said to be secretly hoping Israel will return. Why? So that they can point to it once again as an excuse for their own failures.

Now President Bush has decided to release economic aid that has been blocked since the Hamas-led government refused to recognize Israel. (Contrary to popular myth, this aid was not blocked because the people voted for Hamas. It was blocked when Hamas refused to accept its responsibility as the governing body of Palestine.) Whom is this going to help except Hamas?

Bolstering Abbas and Fatah is really a case of picking the least worst terrorist with whom to work. It's misguided and it's shortsighted. Fatah is no less committed to the end of Israel than Hamas. How is Israel supposed to negotiate with a government that seeks its destruction?

Fouad Ajami points out that Fatah and Hamas are pretty much two sides of the same coin. One is secular, the other Islamist, and there the differences end. Neither renounces violence. Neither recognizes Israel. Neither is interested in a Palestinian state that does not stretch "from the river to the sea".

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