Abandoning the roadmap
US President George W Bush may be about to back track on promises to implement the roadmap and create a Palestinian state by 2005. Israel insists on continuing to obstruct the roadmap, and the Palestinian factions are being neither dismantled nor disarmed. How, then, can Bush hope to reach the declared goal within the timetable set?
Bush's latest statements linked the liquidation of terrorist groups, by which he means Hamas and Jihad, a halt to attacks against Israel, and the creation of a Palestinian state. He announced a freeze on the accounts of six Palestinian leaders and blamed the Palestinian factions for the deteriorating situation. He also insinuated that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat was culpable for opposing the placing of the security apparatus under the control of Palestinian State Minister for Security Mohamed Dahlan.
The US administration has never minced its words when it comes to stating its belief that Israel has an inalienable right to defend itself. This it is allowed to do by all means possible, including arresting and assassinating Palestinian leaders, re-invading towns in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, continuing to construct the security wall on confiscated Palestinian villages and land. All these actions are sanctioned despite the fact that the first phase of the roadmap focussed on confidence- building measures.
When Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas complained to Bush about Israeli violations he received reassuring, if unconvincing, responses. The Bush administration initially indicated it would reconsider the $9 billion loan to Israel and promptly failed to make Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon commit to anything.
It is clear that Bush and his administration are incapable of making Israel implement any obligation. They are able only to pressure the Palestinians and other Arab countries interested in appeasing Washington.
The US realises there are forces on both sides that do not believe in the feasibility of the roadmap. On the Israeli side Lieberman, Netanyahu, Beni Alon, Mofaz and others in the military and government oppose the dismantling of settlements, the release of Palestinian prisoners and the halt to construction of the security barrier. On the Palestinian side factions such as Hamas and Jihad are suspicious of Israeli intentions. But the US administration chooses to look only at the Palestinian resistance, which is defending itself and its right to exist. Bush and Sharon are seeking to annihilate this resistance under the pretext that this will enable the Abbas government to end acts of violence and terrorism. But how can Abbas be asked to disarm the Palestinian factions when Sharon is unable to dismantle settlements or end Israeli military incursions in West Bank cities?
The most powerful country in the world is incapable of impartiality and honesty in overseeing the implementation of the roadmap. Israel refuses any non- American role in implementing the plan and fails to respond to American demands. And the US happily accepts this stone-walling. US efforts are focussed on urging Abbas to stake on the Palestinian factions, a dangerous matter that the Americans realise could lead to a civil war which igniting the entire Middle East.
It has now become apparent that Bush is gradually abandoning the roadmap. It is almost certain not to feature in his electoral campaign. And American reassurances that the roadmap is still in place hardly suffice as long as American policies aim at fragmenting Palestinian ranks and weakening Arafat in the hope that this will enable Abbas to continue meeting with Sharon when agreements can be made that Israel as quickly breaches.
There are attemª£pts to re- instate the cease-fire among the factions. The US position, though, so biased towards Israel, can only lead to more chaos, which will inevitably spread from the Palestinian territories.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 28 August - 3 September 2003 (Issue No. 653)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/653/op4.htm