OwlEye

Sharon Snubs Abbas

In the wake of the most recent Gaza bombing, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has cut off all contact with the newly elected Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas. In the wake of the Palestinian election, many observers had hoped that with the newly elected moderate and pragmatic Abbas, Israel would be able to re-open negotiations with the beleaguered Palestinian Authority.

I should stop to mention the possibility that this move by Israel is possibly an attempt to strengthen Abu Mazen. With cease-fire talks upcoming between Abbas and the various Palestinian factions, isolating the new leader may be seen as a way for Israel to distance themselves. Too close of a relationship could undermine Abbas' newfound legitimacy with his people. However, this seems unlikely, for a couple reasons. First, the threats and demands are reminiscent of the threats and demands of several months ago to Arafat, and the threats seem unnecessarily harsh if they are just intended to create distance between the two parties.

Instead, I believe that this move speaks volumes about the Likud committment to peace. Sharon's main justification for cutting off peace negotiations and embarking on the unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip was that there was no credible Palestinian partner. Now that a moderate who is on record opposing the intifada is President, you would think that such a partner would have arrived. Instead, the Israelis are undermining the legitimacy of the new President, much in the same way as they undermined both Abbas' and Qureia's Prime Ministerships under Arafat. It is almost as if they do not want to see a strengthened Palestinian Authority - and it is hard it strengthen your corrupt government when your new President has not even been inaugurated before the first checkpoints in and out of the territories have been closed.

Peace will take effort on both sides, but also understanding. Abbas cannot possibly hope to control the various factions of Palestinian militants within a week of his election, and Israel's reaction is certainly not making it any easier. If Israel is serious about Abbas reigning in militants instead of simply undermining the peace process, then they should stop building and remove the more problematic west bank settlements. By giving Abu Mazen even a small symbolic victory, they would do much to strengthen his hand at home. That would truly determine Sharon's commitment to peace. Unfortunately, all Sharon has done is further weaken the Palestinian government, and therefore to strengthen the factions.

posted by MattyJ @ 12:00 AM