Palestinian deal faces global critique

A power-sharing pact may end Gaza fighting, but will Israel and the US recognize its terms?

from the February 12, 2007 edition

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Most Israeli comments so far seemed equally diplomatic to the point of vague, perhaps because there isn't a clear consensus in Israel as to whether to deal directly with Hamas. Many Israelis deem Hamas a terrorist group – one that it should never consider dealing with.

Others argue that if Hamas can reach and respect a long-term truce, talking is a much better option than living with endless conflict. Hamas remains on the US State Department's list of organizations that sponsor terrorism.

"The [Israeli] government is saying 'yes' and 'no' and 'maybe' all at once," says Peter Medding, a political scientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

"That's the nature of the issue," Professor Medding says. "I think they don't know what's really happening on the Palestinian side, so it seems that they're closing the door and opening the window. The Quartet is not quite clear where they are and the US hasn't said yes or no, so Israel isn't going to run off and say they think it's a good deal, either."

With both Israelis and Palestinians absorbed in domestic troubles of one sort or another, the big-picture issues of war and peace between the two peoples have hardly been on the agenda.

Palestinians have been absorbed by fighting that skyrocketed after Abbas said he would call for new elections. Israelis have been consumed with corruption scandals and accusations of sexual misconduct by several senior officials, including the president, Moshe Katsav.

A tripartite meeting set for next week between Olmert, Abbas, and US Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice could put an auspicious spin on the unity deal reached in Mecca by indicating new avenues for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

However, Olmert and Abbas will have a difficult time justifying this step forward in a way that will satisfy critics in many corners.

In short, Abbas needs to show Israel and the international community that he's going to be calling the shots, but he also needs to make Hamas and its supporters feel that they continue to sit in their rightfully elected place at the head of the government. Reports indicate that Hamas's Ismail Haniyeh will remain prime minister.

"If [Abbas] fails to convince [the world] to lift the siege from this unity government or at least to give it a chance before refusing to deal with it, then he and his party will lose face for Fatah in the Palestinian street," Palestinian columnist Riyad el-Malki wrote in the Al-Ayyam Newspaper.

"However, if he rejects the American pressure and goes ahead with the agreement he signed in Mecca," Mr. Malki continued, "then he will lose his role as an accepted partner by the Israeli government and the American administration.

"This is a difficult mission for [Abbas], who has to market his Mecca proposal and defend it. Unlike his Hamas partners, who at this point are in a most comfortable situation," he wrote.

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