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Al-Ahram Weekly 27 May - 2 June 1999 Issue No. 431 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 27 May - 2 June 1999 Issue No. 431
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Living Features Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Giving Barak the benefit of doubt
By Nevine Khalil
Once again, the Arab world is adopting a "wait and see" attitude after leadership changes in Israel, and two summits are under active consideration following the rise of Labour Party leader Ehud Barak to Israel's leadership. While seemingly a better peace partner than his Likud predecessor, Binyamin Netanyahu, many Arab circles are suspicious of Labour's hawkish leader, whose views on key issues such as Jerusalem, settlements, refugees and borders, do not differ much from those of Netanyahu.
Yasser Arafat with Hosni Mubarak
"All we can do now is wait and see what [Barak] will do on the ground," said President Hosni Mubarak on Monday, "although he assured me soon after his victory that he stands by peace." Mubarak made the statement as he flew on an announced visit to neighbouring Libya -- his first since a UN flight embargo against Tripoli was suspended.
Egypt is expected to host a five-way summit soon bringing together Israel's five neighbours -- Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinians. Mubarak said that it was necessary to hold such a gathering "soon" to evaluate the new situation following the Israeli elections, and coordinate Arab moves in the peace process. "This will not be a meeting to issue warnings or conditions, but to affirm the Arabs' peace strategy" -- a commitment that was made three years ago.
Soon after Netanyahu came to power in May 1996, Egypt hosted a near-full Arab summit in June to coordinate positions. The summit, which excluded Iraq because of Gulf state objections, aimed to assure Netanyahu that he would find cooperation from his neighbours, by announcing that peace was "the strategic goal" of all Arab countries. The coming summit, expected within days, will send a similar signal to Barak. "This meeting will open the door for an understanding," Mubarak said.
A full-fledged summit, similar to the 1996 one, is unlikely for the time being. "The time may not be appropriate for such a summit, because of differences in opinion among various Arab leaders," Mubarak said. He added that perhaps the five-way summit could open the way for a larger summit later.
Across the Atlantic, Washington also said it was prepared to host a summit, bringing together the US, Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinians and Israel. The American peace brokers want to rebuild confidence among negotiating parties by relaunching negotiations and the implementation of the Wye accord. Mubarak said that he will attend the Washington summit, once it is scheduled, and "will speak frankly and confront each party with its responsibility [because] we are at a decisive phase".
Mubarak's view is shared by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, who was in Cairo on Sunday to discuss with Mubarak a plan to launch Arab and international diplomatic efforts to secure implementation of last October's Wye accord. "We are at a very important and sensitive turning point, and we must protect the peace process and implement agreements," Arafat said.
Soon after his victory, Barak pledged to keep Israeli control over all of Jerusalem as well as Jewish settlements on Arab territories. He also vowed that no non-Israeli army would be allowed on the West Bank and that there would be no return by Israel to the borders of 4 June 1967. "The danger of statements made for domestic consumption is that they could complicate [matters] and make people lose confidence," Mubarak said. Foreign Minister Amr Moussa shared the same sentiment, declaring that Barak's "good intentions are not enough, because they are disproportionate to the 'no's' we hear."
But Barak has left a glimmer of hope, by pledging to withdraw Israeli troops from Lebanon within 12 months, break the deadlock on the Palestinian track and resume talks with Syria, which were frozen shortly before Netanyahu's rise to power.
Saying that "doubtless, the situation is better now" than during Netanyahu's tenure, Mubarak was not sure what to expect of the new Israeli prime minister. He described Barak as "a rational man, although it is difficult to guess what he will do after winning the elections".
On Sunday, Mubarak called on Barak to "deal with the Arabs with a spirit of equality, and not with a spirit of military superiority or by imposing fait accomplis on the Arabs." Mubarak was addressing the opening session of the 17th Interaction Council shortly before going into talks with Arafat.
Moussa said that Barak's statements "do more harm than good", emphasising that the new government in Israel should have "new policies to encourage the peace process; otherwise it would be a farce."
