Palestinian State by 2005: President Bush
The First Lady Laura Bush, of the present superpower USA, came to visit to Jerusalem on May 22, 2005, not as an occupier; unfortunately though the place was under the occupation of Israel -- the foster state of the USA. She was looking dignified and indeed noble in her 'black pantsuit with black headscarf donned in religious respect and held tightly on her head' -- the dress that took her much away from the scantily-clad culture largely seen in the USA and the west. Though she faced brief disturbances during the short visit, she was nice and diplomatic and did not respond to any of the remarks made by a small number of Palestinian and Israeli hecklers. She deeply observed and fully understood the emotions attached to the place. She said, "What an emotional place this is as we go from each one of these very, very holy spots to the next. .. We're reminded again of what we all want, what everyone of us prays for what we all want is peace.." She also added, "the chance of achieving peace right now is close as we have been in a really long time." She also seemed to be quite aware of the problems on the way and remarked, " It will take a lot of baby steps and I'm sure (there) will be a few steps backward on the way". She probably meant foot-dragging or putting road-blocks on the peace path by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his associates.
It was obvious that the First Lady would communicate her feelings to President Bush and tell him what type of "emotions" this blessed place carries and the dire need for immediate actions from the side of the USA to achieve peace. The US president is committed to establishing Palestinian State in 2005 and it is already mid 2005 and hence the need for quick action. The First Lady's possible advice, unofficial though, was reflected in President Bush's press conference on May 26, 05, with President Mahmud Abbas of Palestinian Authority in the White House Rose Garden. This is the first time a Palestinian President came to the White House since peace talks collapsed in 2000. It is worth remembering that Late President Arafat stood in the same place with President Clinton in the year 2000 and talked about the same subject -- the establishment of the Palestinian State.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Years passed by, not quietly though, and Arafat's successor Mahmud Abbas talked about the same subject standing with the next president -- George Bush -- and the world watches on with great anxiety what outcome these talks and commitments would produce.
Would the President of the only superpower indeed the hyper power be able to stick to his commitment which should be taken as the commitment of his great country! It is a solemn undertaking so far as President Bush is concerned and his next moves would determine the shape not only of the region but of the United States of America and the world as well.
The first and the hopeful indication came from President Bush when he issued, as mentioned above, his sermon on May 26, 05, with President Mahmud Abbas by his side at the press conference in the White House Rose Garden. Mahmud Abbas complained about Israel's continued settlement activities and made an anxious appeal that "time is becoming our greatest enemy" and "We must end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict before it is too late." In reply President Bush said, "Israel should not undertake activities that contravene Road Map obligations with regard to Gaza, West Bank, and Jerusalem must remove unauthorized outposts and stop settlement expansion." Indeed, all settlements are against the international law. The latest verdict of Israeli Supreme Court also clearly confirmed that the evacuation from Gaza was legal. This means that all evacuations from all settlements from occupied territories should be legal. In other words, all settlements in the occupied territories are illegal.
President Bush also questioned Israel's building of barriers in the name of security which Palestinians call 'land grab', He also pledged $ 50 million as an aid to Palestinians and added, "To help ensure that the Gaza disengagement is a success, the US will provide the Palestinian Authority $ 50M to be used for new housing and infrastructure projects in the Gaza." President Bush also gave green signal to Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice to travel to Jerusalem and Ramallah "to consult with Israeli and Palestinian leaders about Israel's planned pullout from the Gaza Strip." His statements in official press conference with Mahmaud Abbas put Sharon on notice that he should not undertake activities that would damage the chances of peace in the Mid East.
The present stand of President Bush leads one to suggest that he appears serious about the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. May be he has in his mind his earlier commitment to establishing the Palestinian State by the year 2005. Hoping that this is the case, one may take the courage, despite the presence of Ariel Sharon at the helm of affairs in Israel, to suggest a brief plan of action to help resolve the age-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The courage emerges from the fact that, after all, Israel is nothing but a foster state of the USA and thus whatever US president says should hold good for Israel.
However, before the brief plan of action for achieving peace is presented, it should be in order to remind Israel of the following major points. The US should also be advised to keep these in view while brokering the peace deal:
First, Israel has to keep in view the fact that it's one piece of land to be shared by two peoples.
Second, the children of Israel, as per original Torah, are not entitled to any state of their own. However, the international community considered it convenient to provide a state to them so that they do not go on seeking citizenship in different European countries and North America. The idea of a Jewish State was obviously not meant to allow importation of established citizens of other countries just because they are Jews into Israel, a tiny piece of land, which indeed displaced a large number of original inhabitants of the land of Palestine. This also gave rise to unprecedented humanitarian problems because those displaced Palestinians became refugees in the neighbouring countries. It's not only strange, it is absolutely unjust to throw out original inhabitants of the land and allow foreigners to come in and settle in the same land just because these foreigners happen to be Jews by faith. Same faith does not entitle people to converge on one place to live together.
Terrorism indeed first started with some Jews forming terrorist groups under Jewish leaders like Monachem Begin, Yitzhaq Shameer and their associates with the aim of returning the "promised land". Though the terrorism was first directed against the foreign power, the final axe fell on the Palestinians who were thrown out of the land and that resulted in violence from the Palestinians. Thus the whole world came under the grip of terrorists and unfortunately the USA became the worst affected country. The US authorities never looked into the matter carefully -- may be avoided intentionally to see the role of Israel in Twin Tower attack. The big question still agitates the minds of many people as to why the 9/11 Commission did not even mention anything about Mosad's role in the intelligence gathering. Can anything happen in the US and places anywhere within and around Mid East without the knowledge of Mosad? Absolutely not. It is a well known fact that Mosad's intelligence activities are intertwined with those of the Intelligence Agencies of the USA (ref "By Way of Deception" - by a former Mosad intelligence official). Let the world ponder over this question and do some serious research on the issue and the answer would, one day, may be to the utter surprise of the Americans.
Israeli terrorism and consequential Palestinian violence including suicide bombings (which fall within the definition of terrorism as suicide is prohibited under the revealed religion) continued to spread around the world because of the short sighted policies of the USA, unfortunately, at its own peril. The US actions against terrorism, very cumbersome and humiliating though after the worst had already taken place, has robbed off much of the civil liberties not only of the people of the United States and particularly those of the Muslims in America, but also of the people of the world, who visit America. America is no more America of Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington; it is America of Bush, Dick Cheney, Rumsfeld and Company. Unfortunate indeed! Condolences to the great Statue of Liberty -- she must be feeling terribly hurt and embarrassed.
The latest statement by President Bush on Israel-Palestinian issues looks encouraging. He is known to be a religious man. He should, however, keep the ultra Jewish advisers and his Vice President Cheney at arms-length and seriously keep in view the remarks of the First Lady Laura Bush that she made in Jerusalem. He should also ignore Ariel Sharon for a while and recall what the majority Israelis want. They want peace for themselves, apparently happy with land within 1967 borders, and not more land at the cost of terrible violence, for the foreign Jews including the Fllashas and those from Russia and Eastern Europe, who are already a big burden for ordinary Israelis in terms of jobs and political uncertainty in Israel. I have myself traveled through several places in Israel and I was told very clearly that majority Israelis want peace. It could be a big chance for President Bush to be remembered as the President of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis.. Former President Nelson Mandela reportedly said -- He (President Bush) is unable to think properly. Let President Bush prove that President Mandela was wrong.
The following Plan of action on major issues should be seriously considered for resolution of the age-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict to establish a contiguous, sovereign and economically viable Palestinian State which will usher in durable peace in the area:
1. Israel has to withdraw completely from the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. In other words, it must withdraw and go beyond 1967 border. All settlements are to be dismantled so that the state of Palestine could be a contiguous state. However, while negotiators proceed with detailed negotiations some adjustment may be made keeping in view the "realities on the ground" as stated by President Bush. Terrible violence including suicide bombings in the absence of peace are also the realities on the ground which must also be kept in view. However, some settlements immediately beyond the Green Line which have, over the years, taken the shape of semi-permanent structure (most of the settlements are of temporary nature) may be allowed to stay provided these settlements do not make Palestinian State a truncated one. However, Palestinians must be compensated for the retention of such small number of settlements within Palestinian State by releasing fresh land from Israel proper.
2. Even after adjustments, if some settlements are allowed to stay in the Palestinian State, the inhabitants will have to accept the citizenship of the Palestinian State as there are many Palestinians within Israel with Israeli citizenship. Those may, however, be allowed dual citizenship with the agreed rights and obligations. Such steps may help ease the situation and the negotiating process.
3. Here comes the issue of Palestinians Right of Return to their homes in Israel. The Right of Return should, in principle, be accepted and allow Palestinians to return on selective basis on proper documentation. This should be done by a Committee where members of Palestinian leadership should be present.
4. Those refugees who would not qualify on the basis of proper documentation should be entitled to adequate aid for building homes in the Palestinian Territory and for starting viable commercial enterprises for earning their livelihood.
5. Israel shall never cross into Palestinian State under any pretext. This has to be ensured by the UN and the international community. Any violation will mean declaration of war.
6. The Palestinian State must be allowed to have its permanent armed forces which should militarily be equipped to defend a sovereign Palestinian State.
7. UN armed forces shall be stationed within the borders of Palestinian State and shall protect the borders of Palestinian State until Palestinians can take over the defence work independently. This will serve dual purposes -- stop Israeli aggression, and stop Palestinian radicals' attacks against Israelis.
8. All walls and barriers built within the Palestinian State must be removed under the supervision of the UN.
9. The should be total renunciation of all forms of terrorism and violence by all including the Palestinians and Israelis. Terrorism in all its forms and manifestation must be jointly thwarted, if there is any.
10. East Jerusalem with the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock and their compounds and other areas around them shall come under the sovereignty of Palestinian State and East Jerusalem must be declared as the Capital of the Palestinian State. Western Jerusalem shall be under the sovereignty of Israel. Israel should be free to declare Western Jerusalem as its Capital. In such an event, the Prime Ministers/Presidents of both countries could drive down to each other's capital and sort out any problem over a cup of coffee. That sort of relationship should exist after the Peace agreement.
11. The Western (Wailing) Wall with its adjacent plaza shall be under the sovereignty of Israel with Dung Gate as the gate of entry. Even now Dung Gate is being used for entering into the Wailing Wall area.
12. No further digging of the Noble Sanctuary areas for finding the existence of the walls of the Temples. It has to be borne in mind that the walls are not holy; so any findings would only be of archeological value. The holiness and virtues lie in the right type of prayer to God Almighty and God alone. (It is blasphemous to say and believe that God has a son and a companion. It is simple to understand that God is an Infinite Power -- most Beneficent and Merciful -- and not a human being to have a companion and son etc. God also does not have to come down to earth in some human form as some believe. God sent His apostles from time to time to give His messages to His creation). While praying to God, one does not have to ask for any intervention of any prophet. Even the prophets had to pray to God and God alone for possible sins of their own as they were all human beings. For prayer the place is available and the people of Jewish faith should perform their prayers without any interference. This has to be ensured by the UN and the international community.
13. Hamas and other radical groups must disarm and join the formal political process within Palestinian State and renounce violence and also hand over all arms to the Palestinian Authority (PA).
14. All settlers within (total migration of all settlers may not be possible) and around final international borders accepted by all parties must also hand over all arms to the Israeli authority. Adequate security from both sides should be ensured.
15. Israel must agree not to import any more Jews into Israel.
16. Adequate economic aid from the UN, the World Bank and the international community should be available to the Palestinians -- both refugees who would return and others within the Palestinian State -- so that they can build up their commerce and industries. Aid should also be available to Palestinian Authority (PA) to build up the State's infrastructure, industries and commerce and also the establishments for good governance.
The most important and effective role could be played by the US if the US Administration keeps aside its domestic Jewish pressure for a while. In fact, many Jews within the US are in favour of clear settlement of the age-old conflict and establishment of peace. Keeping all these in view the US Administration can practically ask the leaders of its foster State -- Israel -- to stick to the provisions of the Road Map that has been prepared and approved by the big powers -- the US, the EU, Russia and the UN and finally accepted by the Palestinians too. Anyway, Bush does not need any more support of the Jewish group for election purpose as this is his last term. The US has to clearly understand that it is the US which has been nurturing the State of Israel and it must move forward positively and with all good intentions and determinations to establish peace by establishing Palestinian State as quickly as possible. And certainly it has to be within 2005 as promised by the President of the superpower.
Mahmud Abbas rightly said the time is running out and one can say it is in US interest to resolve this major problem which has given rise to all forms of terrorism. The US is too involved in the M-E and particularly in Iraq and indeed its own security would be in a serious state in the face of any military problem against the US flaring up in any other part of the world. Then the US would simply not be in a position to effectively deal with such a situation. In this unsettled world with all forms of terrorism, political uncertainty in global terms, unethical fight for sphere of influence and finally nuclear competition, one cannot rule out such disastrous possibilities.
The EU, Russia and China and all other countries concerned must also be fully involved in the peace process so that they can give full support within the UN to any agreed deal that would establish the State of Palestine, hopefully within 2005 as committed by US President George Bush.
Muslehuddin Ahmad is a former Secretary and Ambassador.
This is also the concluding comment in the book "The Promised Land -- The Land of Milk & Honey"(a compilation of comments printed in this paper under the rubric 'Spotlight on Middle East') by the author to be published soon by a Research group with Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada.