1 - 7 March 2001
Issue No.523
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 1 - 7 March 2001 Issue No.523 |
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Difference defined
US Secretary of State Colin Powell missed the core point of the conflict in the Middle East when he repeatedly stated during his visit that his priority on this track was to reduce the level of violence and to convince Israel to lift its economic siege of occupied Palestinian areas. In the numerous news conferences Mr Powell held during his regional tour this week, he did not call upon Israel once to implement the agreements it has signed with the Palestinians since 1993, and end its occupation of their land.What led the Palestinians to start their second uprising six months ago was their deep frustration at the fact that, after nearly eight years of peace talks with Israel, daily realities have not changed: they continue to live under severe and violent occupation. The only way to restore calm would be to end Israel's occupation, not to blame the victims for resisting their oppressors. The new administration will also be making a big mistake if it insists on ignoring what has been achieved in previous talks between Israel and Palestinians. This would be tantamount to telling Israel it can negotiate forever with the Arabs, regardless of any written commitments it makes.
The US secretary of state also tried to convince Arab leaders and public opinion that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was the real threat to regional security, despite his own admission that the Iraqi army has been debilitated and that there is no evidence that Iraq is seeking to develop weapons of mass destruction. As usual, not a single word was said about Israel's arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, including chemical, biological and nuclear arms. The main threat to the security of all the Arab countries is Israel's nuclear arsenal, which it still refuses to submit to international inspection. In contrast, Iraq and Iran have certified documents from the International Atomic Energy Agency stating that they are not developing nuclear bombs.
The new US administration said it would adopt a new approach to the Middle East. Yet Mr Powell's tour proved yet again that America defines "consultation with allies in the region" as informing them of Washington's priorities.
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