Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi The Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have recently been resumed under the patronage of the United States on the condition that the negotiations remain confidential. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Israeli Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni met in Washington with the US State of Secretary John Kerry. Martin Indyk, former US ambassador to Israel, was chosen as the US Administration's envoy in the negotiations which have halted for over three years due to Israel's embargo, the construction of the wall, the destruction of farms, the confiscation of lands, killing of dozens of Palestinians, the arrest of thousands of them, and the continuous construction of settlements. Palestinians considered the construction of settlements as a major block for peace process between both sides. At the time, the American envoy participated in the negotiations then succumbed to Israeli pressure. Israel demanded that the negotiations should be resumed without conditions. The negotiations have started when late Yasser Arafat was alive and were known as Oslo agreements. This was 20 years ago when Arafat and former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin shook hands. Rabin was assassinated later by a Jewish extremist because of the handshake. Ever since that time, the negotiations have remained stalled despite the great efforts exerted by then US President Bill Clinton. When Barack Obama was elected, Palestinians and Arabs felt happy and thought the solution to the Palestinian Cause was never closer, especially when Obama promised he would exert efforts to solve the case. He said there should be separate states and that Israel should halt all settlement activities, which hindered the peace process. However, President Obama backed out on his promises and succumbed to Israeli pressure and called for resuming the peace process without halting the construction of settlements. This meant that the negotiations would continue without any clear objectives. Palestinians rejected this suggestion and said they would only resume negotiations when Israel stops all settlement activities. All attempts made by the US Administration to stop the construction of settlements have failed. When President Obama was elected for a second term, it was assumed that he would take a fair and courageous stance on Israeli arrogance and would exercise pressure on Israel in order to stop building settlements, settlements which all international covenants have dubbed illegitimate and invalid. As usual, the US president could not exercise pressure on Israel and started exercising pressure on Palestinians who kept giving concessions in the hope that one day they would see their dream come true and have an independent state with Jerusalem being its capital. Lately, US Secretary of State John Kerry started taking long shuttle trips between Israel and Palestine. Political observers and analysts had different viewpoints regarding the objective of the visits. Some said President Obama is trying to come down in history by achieving something for the Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims whom he promised, when he came to power, that he would correct the mistakes his predecessor George Bush made. At the time, President Obama delivered a famous speech the Cairo University and said that the policies of his predecessor created indignation and anger among the Arab and Muslim world towards the United States and its unfair position on Muslim and Arab issues, on top of them the Palestinian Cause and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. In his speech, he said the US was criticized for using the veto against any UN attempts to incriminate Israel. Some said the US Administration is trying to exercise pressure on Palestinians to accept Israel as a Jewish state alongside a Palestinian state. Political observers believe that this plan will be rejected by Palestinians because it would harm what is called the Arabs of 1948 in Israel, who represent fifth of Israeli population. The plan would also kill any hope for refugees, who were kicked out of their homes 60 years ago, to return to Palestine. That is why these negotiations wont' result in the implementation of international decisions and won't give back Palestinians their rights, on top of these rights the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. The US has failed in acting as a just mediator in the conflict and in exercising pressure on Israel and makes it accept a just solution that will achieve peace. Israel wants a disarmed Palestinian state with no sovereignty and with fragmented parts. Palestinians will never accept such solution whatsoever. – Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi is a former Saudi diplomat who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs. He can be reached at [email protected]
