A Road Map To?

Friday, May 2, 2003
By: Tashbih Sayyed

The adage, 'where there is a will there is a way' does not hold water in the case of the 'road map' presented by the quartet and backed by the western powers so enthusiastically. For a 'will' that ignores the ground realities is bound to lose its way in the darkness of terror. Quartet Road map is futile because it wills peace without taking into cognizance the historical pitfalls that make any journey impossible on the road to peace.
For starters the "peace Plan" has failed to make a distinction between the aggressor and the victim of aggression. It assigns equal responsibility to both the visible parties - Palestinians and Israel. It has failed to recognize the not so invisible parties to the conflict - Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. For there would not have been any Palestinian - Israel conflict if these Arab neighbors would have accepted the creation of Israel. Not only they did not accept the creation of Jewish state but made it their national policy to maintain an environment of anti-Semitism in the region to make sure the that the Jewish state does not survive.

To achieve their anti-Semitic goals, the Arab nations did a number of things - some short term and some long term. Raids, wars, riots and local hostilities were part of the short term plans and the creation and maintenance of a "refugee" problem was a long term plan.

Right from the day one, circumstances were created under which a number of Palestinians were encouraged to leave their homes. Once out of their homes, they were forced to remain in a permanent state of being "refugees." All the Arab states, despite being under populated and in perpetual need of foreign labor and all kinds of manpower, refused to accept any of their "Palestinian brothers" to fill this vacuum. The areas earmarked for a Palestinian state were under the control of Egypt, Syria and Jordan but none of them ever mentioned the term "Palestinian State" till 1967 when Israel gained control over these areas.

The question of a Palestinian state, the issue of the return of refugees and the status of Jerusalem are some of the elements of this long term plan to keep the region in chaos.

The issue of Jerusalem has conveniently been used to stoke the religious sensitivities of Muslims, not just in the Middle east but all over the world. The rhetoric of Muslim holy lands "occupied" by Jews and Christian powers has helped in transforming the very local real state conflict into a war between Islam and Judaism. This transformation, in turn served as a catalyst in the radicalization of the Islamist controlled Muslim masses. Now the Palestinian-Israel conflict is no more a localized regional dispute. It is part of the universal Muslim consciousness and psyche.

Against this back drop, the most obvious stumbling blocks in the way to peace are the issues of the right of Palestinians to return to their "ancestral homes' and the status of Jerusalem.

Any peace plan that ignores these issues and hopes to achieve peace in the region is a non starter. The powers that may be have to some how convince the Palestinians that the "return of refugees" is neither a genuine problem nor can be entertained. The very notion of raising this issue betrays the animosity toward the Jewish state. In my view, the issue of return of "refugees," has been kept alive by those elements who want a sure destruction of Israel. How can one expect an Israel to survive in which the Jews are a minority. It negates the very concept of the Jewish state.

As far as Jerusalem is concerned, it does not belong to Muslims only. Jews and Christians have a more direct relationship with the holy lands than the Muslims. Jerusalem has same importance to Jews and Christians as Mecca and Medinah have to Muslims. And for that matter no faith has more right to Jerusalem, than the people who have been part of this land for over five thousand years. The people who never could disconnect themselves with their temple despite five thousand years of persecution and holocausts.

These two issues should and must not be a part of any "road map" to peace. Palestinians should understand that they have to confine their demand to the establishment of a Palestinian state only. And that too with a commitment that once in existence it will not serve the objectives of radicalism and anti-Semitism. The world has to recognize the fact that any state that is mentally, psychologically, socially, culturally and above all religiously anti-Semitic, will always be a breeding ground for terrorism. And by establishing such a state, the US will be undoing all of its successes that she has achieved in its war on terror after September 11, 2001.

The road map must not try to be even handed when dealing with Palestinians and Israelis. There is a world of difference in the roles that both parties have played toward the achievement of peace and stability in the region. Where as the Palestinians have been rejecting all the opportunities to establish peace by allowing themselves to be used, abused and exploited by fundamentalist radicalism, Israel has been busy in defending itself and trying to survive. Whereas Palestinians under the influence of dictators, despots, corrupt leadership and extremist terrorists were spending their time and energies to deny the Jews their birth right to be in their promised lands as also endorsed by the Muslim holy book Quraa'n, Israelis have been doing everything in their power to convince their neighbors that they only want to live and let live.

Therefore it is unfair on the part of the "road map" to ask Palestinians and Israelis to act simultaneously in ending violence and withdrawing from the West Bank, which is as good as convicting the victim along with the criminal. Israeli presence in the West bank and Gaza and security restrictions at the borders are not an act of aggression but are in response to the Palestinian violence. Here a priority needs to be set. Unless Palestinians establish, by their actions, a willingness to end violence, Israeli withdrawals will be an invitation to further terrorism.

Then there is a question of elections. Elections in any state that is mentally, psychologically, socially, culturally and above all religiously anti-Semitic, will always result in bringing into power leaders who sponsor terror. Unless the effects of decades of anti-Semitic indoctrination are removed, elections will only enhance the bitterness and venomous ethos. As to gain popular support one has to say and do things that are popularly liked and expected.

A overwhelming majority of Palestinians does not accept Israel. Their maps of a Palestine state shows all the lands that is Israel as part of Palestine. Abu Mazen, the newly elected Prime Minister of Palestinian Authority does not represent the popular will. Hamas, Hizbollah and Martyrs Brigade do. That's why any election without changing the ethos of the masses will amount to a death warrant of the Jewish state. And by helping the establishment of such a state, US will be undoing all of its successes that she has had in its war on terror after September 11, 2001