Are Olmert and Abu Mazen capable of signing a new peace agreement or even a document for ending the violence situation their both people are living?

A good question to ask at the time that so many are suspicious about if they can do such a thing. Some are asking why the media is ignoring the talks between the two leaders and instead focusing on other stories especially in the Israeli media. Even the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that used to rise when signs of peace showed is also ignoring them and reacting instead to events on Wall Street according to a writer in the Haaretz Newspaper. Actually after reading a post that talks about these questions in the Haaretz Newspaper, it really interested me to think about how and why and when can the Israeli and Palestinian leaders do something strong new and able to live and whether if they are able to do.Is it that the people are relying on them and have faith in what they are doing? Or they don’t believe in what they are doing and are not taking their talks seriously? Or maybe the two leaders are acting in a smart way by following the way of keeping their talks and ideas secret so no surprising act of one of their extreme parties could happen and make it more difficult for them?

Well its not easy to say that their people are supporting and relying on them because of the history of the both leaders; Olmert was in danger to lose his command for so many times because of what happened in Lebanon war and the internal Israeli issues that he faced for so many times. Abu Mazen situation is even worst with all the chaos in Gaza and the rebuilding state of his forces in the West Bank. Beside that a high percentage of the Palestinian people lost faith in his program of peace with Israel because of the promises he and the Fateh leaders gave in the past since Oslo to reach an agreement and bring them good life with an independent state, and were never achieved.

So we only have another two questions that could give us the real answer of why all of what is going on is not clear for the public. Either almost no one believes in what they are doing and they don’t have a chance to achieve something or they are planning good and preparing something that will surprise us as once their former leaders did in Oslo. To my opinion what is really going on is a mixture of both of the two questions; people are not optimistic because of what they suffered from since almost eight years and that’s why the Media is searching for better stories for the public. Concerning the strike exchange and ignoring the signs of peace as my friend says in the Haaretz, well still we didn’t see any sign of peace so it can change! Gaza is still in a state of war, the Israeli army is still striking there and the rockets are still launched from Gaza to the Israeli territories. Checkpoints are still made up in all the west bank and the Palestinians didn’t get any chance to taste a better thing in their daily life. Signs of peace appear after signing a peace agreement and taking actions to make this peace become real. I do believe that Olmert and Abu Mazen are working slowly and good for the first time. If they just came out together and declared the end of any violence from the both sides in ten minutes and said that they made peace, on the other day it will be like nothing happened. Abbas is still rebuilding his forces in the West Bank and searching for a solution for the Gaza issue. Olmert is weak from the inside because of his unity in the government with some right extreme parties and that’s why he is afraid of declaring anything concerning Jerusalem and the refugees (which are a part of any final agreement). Olmert actually is building his self to face the difficulties in signing any agreement, Ihud Baraq joined him in his government and he is showing to his people that he is rebuilding his army again to make them believe that he can obtain their security in facing any danger that could face them. On the other side they formed two groups to negotiate secretly on the final issues and they are meeting almost weekly to discuss how they can improve things. It is really similar to Arafat – Rabin negotiations before Oslo, but the only difference between them and these is the publics support that Olmert and Abbas did lose and are working to regain. So will they succeed with all of these difficulties? In November we will know, but if we take a quick look on some of the main difficulties they would face that are embodied mainly in those who are working against them politically; Hamas made some acts to prove that it is strong In Gaza and can control their, they wanted to prove this for the west so they can talk with them; proving for the west means the acceptance of the west ideas of peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, so maybe Abu Mazen could find a way to join them in his program if he gives them what they want concerning the government and the ministries, and also finding a way to make it similar between what they are asking for as a condition for not signing a peace agreement but at least to stop violence. Olmert chances are with his public support and there are so many smart Israelis that were used in the Oslo time to convince the Israelis to make peace and this could be used as a pressure on the Extreme right wings. Give them a chance and we will see if they will succeed at least in changing the situation for another period.

Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad

Tags: Abu Mazen, israel, olmert, palestine, peace, ziad abu zayyad

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