Israël-Palestine : The return of the Barghouti Option
There’s nothing new in the rumor, but this is the first time it’s garnered such credence : the liberation of Marwan Barghouti. The leader of the Tanzim (a Fatah offshoot) and the co-founder of the Fatah Youth organization, now serving five consecutive life sentences in prison could soon be released.
The short term objective is to facilitate the liberation of corporal Shalit, held prisoner by Hamas since June 2006. The long term objective is to tone down the violent and complex political situation in Palestine, through someone who benefits from strong popular support and who, at times in the past, proved to be an astute tactician when dealing with both Fatah and Hamas.
The « Barghouti option » has captivated the Israeli press for weeks now. In an interview accorded from his jail to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth on September 20th, Mr. Barghouti expressed confidence in his eventual release : « I know that I’ll be freed, it’s only a matter of time now. » In the same interview, Mr. Barghouti, « optimist » about his future, explains that he maintains his place in the Palestinian leadership and that he is privy to the latest, up to date, real time political developments.
Benjamin Ben Eliezer, Minister of local infrastructure (and former Defense Minister), is largely to blame for sustaining this debate. During an interview on military radio on September 25th, Mr. Ben Eliezer wasted no time in exposing the only hope for corporal Shalit : « Barghouti is the next leader of the Palestinians. » Ben Eliezer was at it again the same day in a lengthy interview with Haaretz.
While opinions diverge on the appropriateness of tempting a prisoner exchange, on the other hand everyone is in agreement with regards to Mr. Barghouti’s political weight and his capacity to put some order in his Palestinian house. And we would be right to worry.
1) Despite President Abbas’s intended break with the authoritarian practices of his predecessor Mr. Yasser Arafat, the other ring leaders of the Palestinian Authority are still hell bent on keeping their allotted duties and advantages. Is the Palestinian Authority ready to recognize these issues and embrace reform ? 2) Mr. Barghouti, a staunch Fatah member has long opposed Hamas and their methods, creating much animosity between the two groups. What interest then would Hamas have in an eventual prisoner exchange ? 3) And finally, the Israeli government ; Condemned to work seriously with the Palestinians, without being able to denounce the « incompetence » of its leaders or the immaturity of their institutions. It is therefore hard to see Ehud Olmert single handedly spearhead the « peace process » by his lonesome. While the Israeli PM has already refused any such commutation in the past, recent declarations by Ariel Sharon’s confidants could help Mr. Olmert navigate through this veritable minefield.
Indeed, Mr. Sharon was said to have toyed with the idea of a « Barghouti option » in order to support the nomination of Salam Fayyad to the post of Palestinian Prime Minister. This was back in 2006, just before the Palestinian legislative election, eventually won by Hamas.
Beyond the partisans and opponent to this scenario is the common denominator that everyone agrees upon : the dire situation on the ground. We’re only a few weeks away from the Washington conference scheduled for next November. Will realism trump personal tactics ? Translation by Christophe Bauer
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An American in France : « What did I do to deserve deportation ? »
Marwan Barghouti or not, it is not the question.
It is very simple, Israel will eventually grab every single inch of the West Bank and will try to force into exile the majority of Palestinians to the Gaza strip. Palestinians who insists on remaining in the West Bank, will be dispossessed of whatever they have left. The only mean of substance that will be left to the remaining Palestinians will be to work for the settlers as a cheap labor. The truth is that there is nothing in the world that will stop Israel from expanding further the settlements until the whole of the West Bank is annexed into Israel proper. The Americans will not left a finger for the Palestinians. The American public, during the the thirty years or so of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was duped by the American mass media into believing that the settlers are only returning to the biblical land of Israel, and Israel, which is a democracy, is protecting the interest of America in the Middle East. To the America mass media Israel merits all the support it needs. The Europeans ? The British were the first to encourage the quick-fix solution for the Jewish return, « divide and rule » was their moto perpetui and the tune has not changed much today by the look of of the state of Iraq. The French, they feel a certain affinity with the Arabs, after all the french culture has left its impact on Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria and so forth but again the guilt of turning so many French Jews to the Nazi infernal machine still lingers on, and Jewish settlers are doing a better job in the Palestinian territory than « les pieds noirs » have done in Algeria. Of course I forgotten to mention Germany but again you know already the whole story.
The Palestinian should forget about the whole thing and they should try to settle in Gaza and make it their home.
But again, O Israel listen to your lord God who is most of all a compassionate God, who cares about those who are suffering. So do not be so arrogant in your designs or you will be humbled.
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