Palestinians’ dream of homeland shattered?

It is an irony that both US President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Sharon in their message of condolence said identically that a new chapter has opened for Palestinians for peace and statehood. President Bush said that he saw an opening for peace and if the new Palestinian leadership requests assistance, the United States would be more than willing to help build the institutions necessary for a free society to emerge while Ariel Sharon said that Arafat's passing could be a historic turning point for the Middle East. Both Israel and America (under presidency of George Bush) refused to deal with Yasser Arafat, who was unanimously elected President of the Palestinians. Ariel Sharon is the only Prime Minister of Israel, who considered Arafat as enemy and branded Oslo peace treaty signed in 1993 by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat as irrelevant. Oslo peace treaty actually recognised Israel's right to exist as a state. Both Rabin and Arafat along with Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister under Rabin's cabinet, won Nobel peace prize in 1994.Arafat also signed a peace deal with Yitzhak Rabin at White House on September 13, 1993 brokered by President Bill Clinton.

Against the backdrop of Arafat's departure from this world, a wild speculation has been in the air -- who would succeed Yasser Arafat. Mahmoud Abbas, former Prime Minister and a veteran peace negotiator with Israel, was elected Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO). He is considered as a moderate leader in PLO. Speaker of the Parliament Rauhi Fattouh was sworn in as acting president until new election takes place within the next 60 days as stipulated in their constitution. PLO is not the only group that will decide presidency. Hamas, Al-Aqsa Brigade, Islamic Jihad will dominate the political arena. The leader, who will carry the blessing of these three militant groups, will succeed in reining in the 'wayward' Palestinians. In the complex scenario the Palestinians are in it would be quite appropriate to integrate all the factions with the political process. It is to be seen whether Mahmoud Abbas or Ahmed Qureia, present Prime Minister, would be successful to get the mandate of the Palestinians to negotiate with Israel.

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Both President Bush and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon should keep in mind that without legal mandate of the Palestinians no deal with any leader would be acceptable to them. Present American President and Israeli Prime Minister are hated personality in the Middle East as they refused to deal with Yasser Arafat, who was their elected President. He was endorsed by Palestinians on January 21, 1996 in the first elections. Both Israel and America should deal with elected representative of the Palestinians. On the other hand, Israel should also consider offering certain concessions, which includes lifting road blocks in the west bank and releasing Palestinian detainees. These measures would strengthen the hands of emerging moderate leaders.

President Bush's biased Middle East policy was received with indignation by the people of the area. War on Iraq was another foreign policy debacle. As Richard Cohen, a columnist of the Washington Post in his article pinpointed that "what's worse, Bush's insistence on going to war with Iraq -- not to mention his conduct of it -- has not, as the administration long argued, made Israel any safer.”

Without open mind America's policy in the Middle East would be defeated .During first term in office President Bush had distanced himself from peace process in the Middle East and cut off relations with Yasser Arafat. Instead he called upon the Palestinians to select a new leadership, which tantamounts to interference in the internal affairs of the Palestinians. Actually President Bush has been following prescription of Ariel Sharon with regard to Palestinian-Israeli issues.

Pressure on Israeli Prime Minister should be exerted by Bush administration to dismantle settlements in Gaza Strip and the West Bank without further delay and accept the demarcation line that exited before the war in 1967 as indicated in the UN resolutions. Peace in the trouble torn occupied Arab territories in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is sine qua non for both Israelis and Palestinians. Every opportunity should be seized by the Israeli authorities to resolve the long standing dispute between the two peoples as there is no excuse left behind with the departure of Arafat from this world. Time has come for Israel to overcome the sense of isolation that has held Israelis in its thrall for almost half a century. Israel must join the international movement toward peace, with reconciliation and cooperation. Security of Israel can be assured only through cooperation and understanding with Palestinians not through confrontation.

Mohammad Amjad Hossain is a former Bangladesh diplomat.