What's happening to the Quartet?

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For a while, it seemed that the US, Israeli and Arab blockade of the Palestinians may end once Hamas agreed to the terms of the Mecca Accord. But as soon as the accord was signed, the Americans and Israelis started insisting that the new government should abide by the Quartet conditions, renounce violence and recognise Israel. The US secretary of state kindly reminded us that Israel doesn't need to make peace with those who do not recognise its right to exist. The reminder was pointless, of course, because the Palestinian president instructed the new government to abide by all agreements signed so far with Israel. For his part, the Israeli prime minister accused President Mahmoud Abbas of taking sides with Hamas and advised him to keep Fatah away from the new government.

Everyone seems worried about the Quartet conditions. Arab countries, including the former Fatah government, have accepted those conditions. When Hamas demurred, all hell broke loose. And now it has practically accepted the same conditions. But where would this lead? So far, the Quartet's conditions have never brought the Palestinians any tangible achievement.

Why is the Quartet regarded as the sole arbiter of our fate? Isn't this the same Quartet that refuses to put pressure on Israel, even when the latter is systematically killing Palestinians? Isn't this the same Quartet that turned a blind eye when Israel reneged on the Oslo Accords? When did the Quartet ever get Israel to do things that entice the Palestinians to recognise it?

But something has changed. The Quartet is not as sure as it used to be that the Palestinians are not doing the right thing. Speaking at a recent press conference, Germany's foreign minister made no mention at all of the famous Quartet conditions. The German chancellor doesn't seem excited about maintaining a boycott on the new Palestinian government. Russia's foreign minister is actively seeking an end to the blockade. He wants the Quartet to support the Palestinian national unity government and get Israel to relax its restrictions.

Would the Quartet survive a turnabout? We all know that as long as the US remains part of the Quartet, the latter cannot afford to take a pro-Palestinian position. In all likelihood, the Quartet would become ineffective before it becomes even-handed -- which is fine, for the Quartet has never been on our side anyway.

So what do we do now? The Americans and Israelis are not crazy about the Mecca Accord because it was brokered by Arabs and led to a consolidation of Palestinian unity. At one point, we'll just have to learn how to live with the displeasure of the Americans and the Israelis, for they have failed to give us anything we can use. Right now, they're angry with Abbas because he is reconciling with Hamas. They're even threatening to exclude Abbas from the peace process, even though they never helped him before Hamas came to power. Abbas was a champion of moderation and a leader of a united nation. Now the same people who almost drove him into civil war are chiding him over national unity.

The Palestinians must stick together and start thinking of what really matters and what doesn't matter. Palestinian leaders must draw the line between what is strategic and what is tactical. And they should agree on a unified approach to both peace and resistance. Meanwhile, the Arabs can and must help them in diplomacy and the economy. The Arabs cannot afford to leave the Palestinians at the mercy of the Quartet.