Musil Shihadeh
I might be accused of irrationality, acting on pure emotional impulses, or reacting out of frustration, but could someone out there try to convince me that soliciting the USA to broker the Palestinian issues would serve our national interests? I doubt it, but let?s delve into the realm of the future and evaluate the possible consequences of rejecting the USA intervention in the destiny of our people.
In seeking to solve disputes using arbitration of a third party, one has to be sure that such a third party is utterly neutral to the disputants, and that the arbitrator would genuinely employ justice, fairness and international legality in reaching the proper judgment on these issues. Can anyone nominate the USA as an honest arbitrator in helping to solve the Palestinian-Israeli problem? The recent history of the last 55 years can easily disqualify America from playing such an important role given that the USA has blocked every resolution that could have brought peace and justice to the Arab countries occupied by Israel.
With all the shameful USA records against international legalities notwithstanding, there are still those who dream that the USA can pressure Israel into doing what is right. Just recently the USA vetoed a Palestinian-sponsored resolution asking the United Nations to protect Mr. Arafat from Israeli threats made against him. Mind you, the Palestinian resolution was not asking Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories, but rather to stop Israeli Mafia-style killing of our leader. No one can ignore Israeli behind-the-scene moves to have the USA label Syria as a hotbed for mass destruction weapons, and consequently the next target for possible USA occupation, like Iraq.
There are some, of course, who espouse the argument that the USA intervention in our dispute is due to its superpower stature, and therefore it would be a practice in futility to ignore its influence in any future peace process. Here again we are ignoring the fact that by soliciting the USA involvement - a country that is totally committed to one of the parties, Israel in this case - we are asking to face two enemies instead of one, and certainly not an honest third party. Instead of pressuring Israel to abide by the USA - sponsored “road map,” the USA has approved of a new $9 billion dollar “loan” to Israel as a reward for its flagrant violation of the USA plan! How could such a reward serve American plans in the area? The strange USA attitude is really beyond comprehension, unless it conforms to the well-known consistent trend of USA support to Israel, right or wrong.
By accepting this bizarre formula of USA-biased intervention, we are lending a lot of credibility to the USA administration as a major factor working for peace in the Middle East. Mr. Bush, in his bid for re-election, is telling the American voters how his efforts in creating what is called “the road map” is striving to bring peace to the world! He is also fostering his authority over the rest of the world community by using the same propaganda. It?s becoming a joke to watch one Arab leader after another paying homage to the masters of the White House, commending the USA for its “friendship” to the Arab people in its total dedication to “peace and justice.”
Supporting Sharon?s cruel onslaught against the innocent Palestinian civilians is considered by the USA as an act of charity, while the legitimate acts of our people in resisting the grotesque occupation are considered by the USA as acts of “terrorism.” Such a position by the USA would limit our choices to either accepting the massacre of our people without any resistance, losing our land and freedom or fighting back and becoming “terrorists” in the eyes of the USA beholder.
Recent history should teach us by now that the USA would never play an honest arbitrator in the Arab - Israeli conflict, and even if they desire it, they cannot do it. If we consider the biased USA media together with the Zionist Christians who are pro-Israel, we have no chance at all to win the American neutrality in our dispute. If we also add the powerful Zionist lobby to the above, then seeking justice from the USA becomes mission impossible. The USA would support a position that considers the Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal, but it would not hasten to veto any resolution that would seek exactly that! The USA officials, in competing to seek re-elections, never take issue among themselves in supporting the Jewish State, but how else can one nominee possibly distinguish himself from the others except by demanding more support to the Jewish State than his competitors? These elections on all levels turn into cheap auctions with the highest bidder becoming the new winner!
What would happen if the Palestinian leadership boycotted any future peace meetings that had any American participation? Well, they would be facing one opponent instead of two. The USA role so far has been nothing more than solidifying Israeli unacceptable and illegal demands. We have to realize that no peace in the Middle East is ever possible without the Palestinian approval. No country - be it the USA, Israel or the whole world for that matter - can ever dream of any success without the Palestinian consent. We should be able to utilize this fact to reject any USA participation and tell them very boldly: We don?t need you so BACK OFF!
