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“Powell the Hypocrite”

Al-Hayyat Al-Jadida published a blistering attack on Colin Powell on the front page of its Monday, December 16 edition. U.S. Secretary of State Powell is calling for a change in the Palestinian leadership and for more democracy in territories in Palestinian hands. The article quoted the Palestinian leadership as asking how he can talk about democracy without committing himself to putting an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The fact that such a title appears in this officially sanctioned Palestinian paper under the name of Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, may mark a change in relations between the Palestinian leadership and the present American administration.

The Bush administration is unimpressed with Yassir Arafat’s administration. Whilst condemning the Israeli occupation, it ascribes blame to the present Palestinian leadership for supporting terrorism against Israeli civilians and widespread corruption in the Palestinian Authority.

The article places the woes of the Palestinian people fairly and squarely on Israeli aggression. It talks of increasing Israeli aggression and the siege of Palestinian cities by the Israeli army. It cites a long list of Palestinian casualties and refers to the ‘Judaization’ of Hebron. Hebron is a city of some 100,000 Arabs and some 500 Jews. There are vague plans to link the nearby settlement of Kiryat Arba, adding another 5,000 Jews to the population.

The article finishes by saying:

“The Palestinian leadership places this bloody picture in front of anyone with conscience and living in the world, to raise their voice against…ethnic cleansing and Israeli crimes against women, children, religious leaders and against Christian and Muslim holy places.”

The Palestinian leadership wants American aid and diplomatic support. In recent months, however, it seems the Palestinian Authority has been increasingly allying itself to the Arab and Muslim world. Arafat simply will not be able to survive if he stamps out corruption and introduces democracy, as America is demanding. His power rests on the fact that he keeps a firm hold of the Palestinian purse strings and therefore anyone with any power has to stay in Arafat’s good books. Arafat is finding newer and less demanding sources of financing and diplomatic support. There are many reports of Fatah, Arafat’s faction, receiving financial and technical assistance from Iran. Traditionally, relations between Iran and Arafat have not been warm.

Arafat has much to lose if he succumbs to American demands. America is very unpopular at the moment in the Palestinian territories and Arafat faces large-scale opposition from Islamic groups domestically. Arafat has no interest in introducing democracy. His administration is very unpopular even if Arafat’s personal charisma keeps his popularity ratings relatively high.

The Palestinians have made huge strides over the last few decades in winning international diplomatic support. It seems Arafat’s obsession to keep his administration may jeopardize this diplomatic support, as it is forcing him to travel to fresher pastures, such as Iran.