 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 12 - 18 August 1999 Issue No. 442 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 12 - 18 August 1999 Issue No. 442
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Books Features Travel Living Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters Barak dawdles,
In the Middle East, Israel is the party that most desperately needs confidence-building measures. It is still perceived by most Arabs as an aggressive, intrusive neighbour which routinely flouts international law and basic human rights.
America applaudsThe world community, notably the US and Europe, agree that the Arabs showed maximum restraint during the three bleak years of Netanyahu's tenure. Now Barak is acting like his predecessor, using a variety of demands and arguments to avoid implementing accords signed with Palestinians and seeking to renegotiate issues that have already been negotiated many times.
Mr Barak must understand that eight years of Arab experience in negotiating directly with Israel -- since the beginning of the peace conference in Madrid in 1991 -- are ample proof of Israel's stalling strategies. The negotiators negotiate, while Jewish settlements expand, Palestinian land is confiscated and more by-pass roads are built to kill any hope that the Palestinians will one day be able to declare a real state with geographic integrity.
Madeleine Albright's decision to delay her trip to the region at Barak's request means that Washington approves of his tactics and has underestimated the extent of Arab frustration at the lack of progress in the peace process. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat once said, "We don't want the moon, we just want the implementation of agreements." Is this too much to ask? Why must the United States always find excuses for Israel to escape its obligations?
The Wye River accord was far beneath Palestinian expectations, and it was signed after endless hours of negotiations in which President Bill Clinton was personally involved. It is difficult for the Arabs to accept the US backing out now. The Wye Memorandum was an agreement brokered by the US, and Washington has a moral and legal responsibility to oversee its implementation. Otherwise, neither Washington nor the peace process will be able to claim the faintest vestige of credibility.
