What's happening 2

Last week I, along with some of my interested friends, were surprised to see a prominent article in the NY Times regarding illegal (under Israeli law) confiscation of Palestinian lands for settlements on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. It is not normal to see this type of frank discussion of the issues in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in the American media. This week the release of Former President Jimmy Carter’s new book “Palestine – Peace not Apartheid” has also provoked a surprisingly open debate on the nature of the conflict. Clearly his intentional use of the “A” word and his high profile status have contributed to the discussion. As he points out this kind of open debate is common in Israel and Europe, but is almost non existent in the US and it was his intention to be provocative in order to encourage discussion. Some major media outlets, namely the NY Times and the Wall Street Journal, have managed to miss the story, but other major outlets have picked up on it and a lively debate has ensued. National Public Radio, ABC’s Good Morning America and Public Broadcasting’s News Hour interviewed President Carter. (To see the PBS interview click here) The Atlanta Journal Constitution published a lengthy op-ed piece by John Dugard and predictably Harvard professor Alan Dershewitz weighed in on right wing website Front Page Magazine. Mr. Dugard points out that President Carter walks very softly in his comparisons of the Israel/Palestinian situation to South Africa’s apartheid system. Even so it didn’t take long for Democratic Party leaders like Nancy Pelosi to disavow that she even knew this guy Jimmy Carter. It is much easier for politicians to take on the Jewish/Israeli lobby after they have retired. Republican Congressman Henry Hyde did not get around to writing President Bush about the treatment of Palestinian Christians until after he had decided to retire. Although I have been critical of the actions and inactions of the Bush administration in the Middle East, you can see from the following quotes assembled by Churches for Middle East Peace they have been pretty forceful in criticizing Israeli behavior in the occupied territories.

President George W. Bush
“As I have stated in the past, achieving peace demands action from all parties. Israel must continue to work with Palestinian leaders to help improve the daily lives of Palestinians. At the same time, Israel should not undertake any activity that contravenes its road map obligations, or prejudices the final status negotiations with regard to Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. This means that Israel must remove unauthorized posts and stop settlement expansion. It also means that the barrier now being built to protect Israelis from terrorist attacks must be a security barrier, rather than a political barrier. Israeli leaders must take into account the impact this security barrier has on Palestinians not engaged in terrorist activities.” October 20, 2005, Press Conference with President Abbas

“Israel must continue to take steps toward a peaceful future, and work with the Palestinian leadership to improve the daily lives of Palestinians, especially their humanitarian situation. Israel should not undertake any activity that contravenes road map obligations or prejudice final status negotiations with regard to Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. Any final status agreement must be reached between the two parties, and changes to the 1949 Armistice lines must be mutually agreed to." May 26, 2005 Press conference with President Abbas

Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State
“We have been very clear about the Israeli obligations under the Roadmap not to try and do anything that will prejudge a final status outcome. We’ve expressed our deep concern about the route of the wall particularly around Jerusalem and we have expressed the American policy on settlement activity remains that it should stop. We will continue to work towards exactly that.” July 23, 2005,
Press Conference with President Abbas

“I traveled to Ramallah and I saw your [settlement] construction with my own eyes. It is not possible to operate in the territories in a manner that will change the situation before discussions on final status. True, the president promised the prime minister to consider the realities on the ground and concentrations of population--this is very important and the United States stands behind this commitment. But the president added that it is clear to all sides that the final borders will be determined only through negotiation. We cannot sanction creating a new reality on the ground by actions that continue today. I mean by this those activities in Jerusalem and its environs meant to change the reality on the ground. I saw these things with my own eyes and I am very concerned. “We want very much to support Israel in this critical period, and we recognize the sensitivity of the situation, but it is impossible to sanction the continuation of construction and its influence on the final border. This is very important to us. I traveled close to Ma’ale Adumim, and I saw the construction along the way.” Conversation with Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom, as reported in Ma’ariv, June 26, 2005

“Now, our position on settlement activity has not changed. We have said to the Israelis that they have obligations under the roadmap, they have obligations not to increase settlement activity. We expect, in particular, that they are going to be careful about anything -- route of the fence, settlement activity, laws -- that would appear to prejudge a final status agreement, and it's concerning that this is where it is and around Jerusalem. But we've noted our concern to the Israelis -- and David Welch and Elliott did. We will continue to note that this is at odds with the -- of American policy. So full stop we will continue to do that and we have noted our concerns about it.” March 24, 2005 Interview with LA Times

The key here is that we have ahead of us a Roadmap; we have ahead of us a way toward the vision of two states living side by side. We have been very clear that we would expect our friends in Israel to do nothing that would somehow prejudge the outcome of a final status agreement in terms of territory, that this is something that really must be negotiated with the Palestinians. February 6, 2005 Interview With Udi Segal of Israel TV Channel 2

The problem has been that words have not translated into action. President Bush has always said that he is a man of action. Maybe the more open debate that seems to be happening will prompt some action. Let’s hope so.

Israel
Palestine