Two months ago, President Bashar al-Assad told me that no peace is possible or expected with the current Israeli government, because of its extremism and the far right inclinations of the majority of the Israelis. Two days ago, I asked the Secretary General of the Arab League, Mr. Amr Moussa, about the issue of direct negotiations and he gave me all the information he had. I then asked him whether he personally expected the negotiations to succeed if held and he said: no. I share the same views as the President and the Secretary-General, and add that Benjamin Netanyahu heads a fascist government that includes in its ranks the most despicable types of political extremists and racists. President Barack Obama had attempted to pressure Netanyahu and failed, and so he moved on to pressure President Mahmoud Abbas, because he is an easier target. Abu Mazen is coming under immense pressure, the like of which I have never seen against any Palestinian or Arab leader. The United States, the European Union, the UN Secretary General and even some Arab countries are all putting pressure on him, along with all the Palestinian factions, including Fatah. Abu Mazen threatened to resign if he could not find a way out, and I know him well and know that he is capable to resign just like he did when he was Prime Minister in 2003. President Obama reminded Abu Mazen in his letter that he is the most in favor of a Palestinian state among U.S presidents, and said that if the Palestinians do not accept direct negotiations he will stop assisting them. I will content myself here with Dan Margalit's comment in Israel Hayom, when he said that Obama's letter seemed as though it was written by the Likud central committee. I am still convinced of the good intentions of the U.S president and his desire for a just solution. However, I am also convinced of his inability to deliver. I found out that our brother Amr Moussa also appreciates the president's good intentions and desire for a solution, but he added that the Arabs, as represented by the follow-up committee, are not against either direct or indirect talks, but that instead, they are in need for further clarifications and reassurances, so that they do not enter talks for the sake of it. The Secretary General spoke about a sound reference point and agenda for the negotiations, measures against settlement activity, and the protection of Arab rights in Jerusalem. Thus, the follow-up committee's letter to the U.S president had no preconditions on the talks nor did it give the green light to enter them, and only requested guarantees and clarifications, leaving the Palestinian president to decide whether he wants to enter direct talks or not. I personally hope that he will not, because I see no point in them at all. If there was one benefit to sit down with the Israelis, it would be to avoid being accused of missing the opportunity by any side, which means that Abu Mazen is working according to the saying “follow the liar to his doorstep”. The Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom said that the Palestinians' three conditions are impossible: that the negotiations start from the point they left off at the end with the government of Ehud Olmert, that they end with an agreement over a total Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories, and that the freeze of settlement activity continue. These demands are not impossible. What is instead impossible is that Abu Mazen or anyone else would accept anything less. There is no meaning for any negotiations without a contiguous and viable Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Abu Mazen was subjected to despicable campaigns by some of his political opponents; however, I know him like none of them does; I want to say that he will never forfeit any of the sacred issues, and I hope that I will be confronted with these words should he do the opposite. He and the government of Israel are valleys apart. The brother bouncer from Moldova, Avidgor Lieberman, who became Israel's Foreign Minister, said that he is waiting for the end of the freeze on settlement activity next month “to resume normal life”, i.e. to continue the theft of Palestinian homes and the dispossession of Palestinians, before demanding that they swear an oath of loyalty to the state of Nazi war criminals. There can be no peace with this Israeli government, but only surrender or resistance. [email protected]
