The Palestinians have learnt nothing from three years of intifada, resistance and anarchy, says Ashraf al-‘Ajrami, a columnist for the Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam. Al-‘Ajrami says the Israelis are not the only ones to blame for the exacerbated situation that has emerged over the past week.
The Palestinians blaming Israel for their dire situation is understandable, says Al-‘Ajrami. After all, he says, Israel is not implementing the Road Map and committing every violation possible. The United States and the Quartet also do not rank very high in Al-‘Ajrami’s opinion since he says they have failed to fulfill their part in supervising the implementation of the Road Map.
However, Al-‘Ajrami poses some poignant questions to the Palestinian decision makers: Will it suffice for the Palestinian Authority to agree to the Road Map without any reservations? For them to make concrete preparations? For the opposition movements and Fatah to announce a temporary and conditional cease-fire?
Al-‘Ajrami thinks not.
“The Palestinians must conduct themselves in a different way, one that will keep the ball in Israel’s court,” he says.
“In reality the period that followed the announcement of the Road Map, especially the Aqaba summit and the announcement of the Hudna maintained the period of anarchy that distinguished the years of intifada and resistance.”
Al-‘Ajrami says the Palestinian government is incapable of controlling the Palestinian territories, not only due to Israel’s control in most of the West Bank, but also in areas evacuated by the Israeli army. “There is something the [Palestinian] government can do but is not trying seriously and that is to reach some diplomatic cooperation between the government and the opposition on a basis of an agreement on the fundamental elements; it should divide the duties, even as a tactical measure.”
Al-‘Ajrami criticizes the way the Palestinian government is pushing the movements aside. “The opposition does not feel the government is ready to make them a partner in the political decision-making in any way. This has been the Palestinian tradition since Oslo.”
The opposition factions, he says, do not believe the peace process will have any benefit. “They anticipate its fall so they will be able to say ‘we told you so’. They wish to adhere to the Hudna in order to perpetuate the conflict, more than open opportunities for the process.”
Al-‘Ajrami adds that following events of the past week – the Jerusalem “operation” and the killing of senior Hamas leader Isma’il Abu Shanab, the Palestinians are confused in determining their priorities and cannot seem to agree on the minimum measures to be taken to defend the Palestinian cause.
The solution, in his opinion, is that the P.A. must start conducting talks between all the factions, talks that will emanate from a feeling of accountability and responsibility for their actions.