Is it War or Peace that is knocking on our doors?
Israeli airstrikes resulted in killing at least four Palestinians in Gaza in the last 24 hours. One of those who were killed was a 15 years old boy and
many were trapped under the ruins of the buildings which were destroyed. The Palestinian movements reacted by firing more than nine missiles into the Israeli areas.
The situation began to develop after the first Israeli attempt to assassinate a leader of one of the Palestinian movements claiming that he was on his way to launch missiles into Israel. The Palestinians reacted by firing back then Israel attacked Gaza strip again leaving another three Palestinians killed and several wounded.
In the West Bank and East Jerusalem the Israeli security forces claimed that it arrested several Palestinians in three incidents because they planned to attack Israelis with knives. According to Yadeoot Ahronot, Israeli security officers stated that the Palestinian lack of ability to make suicide attacks Inside Israel releases something more dangerous which is “folk” terrorism.
The Political situation does not seem to be better; President Mahmoud Abbas stated in an interview with Aljazeera that there are no developments between the Israelis and the Palestinians. President Abbas also stated that the last visit which Prime Minister Netanyahu made to Egypt did not bring anything new and that the Palestinian leadership insists on a complete Israeli hold in the settlements buildings and plans in both East Jerusalem and the West Bank before any kind of negotiations between the two sides.
The Shalit – Palestinian prisoners deal does not seem to be in its last stages but seems to become a reason which will cause a new round of violence in Gaza. According to the Israeli tenth channel the Israeli army is training day and night to prepare for a new confrontation in Gaza. The new Israeli program which was designed to prevent Qassam rockets from reaching Israeli territories seems to fail because of the short distances. Therefore, Israel would reconsider the option of attacking Gaza again specially with the latest developments between the two sides.
The White House administration made a new statement regarding the Israeli Palestinian conflict saying that the current American administration is “fed up” with the Israeli late suggestions and the Palestinians plan to always miss any chance given to them.
Analyzing these developments one can understand that the next stage is far away from any kind of development towards peace.
Instead a war is the word which would give a good description for what the situation is going to. Mr. Mitchell is supposed to visit to area to start a new round of negotiations using different methods with a hope that something would change while the Israeli security forces and army continue to prepare for the real scenario which threatens to take place in the next months or even days.
The Israeli intelligence prefers to admit that the reason which pushes the Palestinians to throw stones, demonstrate, and even attack Israelis is their “inability” to launch suicidal attacks instead of admitting that the continuing depression, occupation, siege, bad economy, and “no solution” status are the reasons which stand behind these actions.
I would have preferred a different reaction made by the White House administration rather than blaming Israel and the Palestinians for the failure of the dreams and promises which was given to us and the whole world not a long time ago. Until today President Obama’s administration did nothing to change the situation in the area more than supporting the security forces and the continuous pressure to use the Israeli Palestinian conflict in ways that serve the issue of facing the Iranian threat. Nothing was made in reality and no real pressure was made on both sides to be pushed towards serious negotiations.
So what I see in the skies is simply either “A Second Gaza war” or “A third Intifada” or “A new war in the north”
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Well, I don’t think that the White House released a statement that said they’re “fed up”. I believe that it was reported in the Hebrew media that an official from the White House has used this word in a private meeting with the Israeli Ambassador in Washington. Is it true or is it just media reports, we don’t know and it doesn’t matter.
Probably we can best understand the U.S. position from the peace process when we listen to Mitchell’s latest interview: http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10796
Mitchell has been so conservative with the media since he was appointed as the Special Envoy for the Middle East Peace. It was the same strategy that he used when he was leading peace talks in Ireland back in the ninties. Nonetheless, this unexpectable long interview gives us a good insight of the efforts the U.S. administration are pushing forward lately.
Obama’s occupation with the American internal conflicts, such as passing the Health Care Bill, has destined him from the Peace Process issue the past months. Nonethless, now that he got some pressure off his shoulders he’s back to the game. Nonetheless, if we reflect on the events of the last couple months or so, positions were as the following. Israel claims they’re ready to sit on the negotiation table, no pre-conditions, no timelime. PA claimed that they will not sit unless settlement activities were completely halted. Later it was slightly unnoticably dervied into we will not sit back on the table unless Israel halt settlement activities and they recognize the 1967 borders as a reference for the negotiations. U.S. call both sides to go back to negotiation tables with no pre-conditions, and from now and then they’d issue a statement condemning with the shiest words the Israeli practices in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
As for the Israeli government, it’s clear they are not ready to compromise. The PA sets their lowest bar (unacceptably low) as what seems to be their highest bar. The Israeli government wants to lower it even more since that is the basic rule of “negotiations”.
PA who have put high hopes on the new U.S. administration (unrealisticly and desperately high), realized that their hopes were chattered and tried to force pressure into the Israeli side by acting “reluctant”. This desperate act failed to convince any side and barely brought any pressure on the Israeli or American side, thus they’re trying to find the safe way back. This situation will not be helpful for the PA, if it goes longer it will result in a form of an internal “coup”.
The U.S. administration are coming back with the “lifeline” for the PA and another round of an unfruitful negotiations. Mitchell has a paper of guarantees ready for both sides. The key point in this paper is that it will set the 1967 borders as a refernce to negotiations. Thus, it will give the PA a reason to go back to the table.
The next couple of weeks will be critical. The fail of going back to the fruitless, useless negotiations will result in another round of violence. The Israeli government is in an internal conflict. They need to move forward. Either by starting another round of negotiation, free Shalit, or a new round of war or military operation that they will hope that it will be successful after two disasterous failing ones in 2006 and 2008.
We’re heading into either a new round of unsensable disasterous negotiations or into war. Welcome the war if it was they want to take us there. We are defending their rights and our lands. The reserve of blood that we have to give for our home and rights is endless. The reserve of blood that they’re willing to give to destruct and to keep on oppressing is limted. It is a finger-biting battle. They just have to be careful that they don’t wait till their fingers get cut.
Just a thought.:)
Palestine Youth Voice´s last blog ..Happy New Year Palestine!
The analysis is very simple brother…
Please check out your Bible and Qur’an…
You will easily find it…
The New Testament said, “They are all evils…”