The Salam Fayad Document: A Palestinian Initiative to Bear Responsibility

[oberliner]

Quite frankly, the program put forth by the government of the Palestinian Authority, detailed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in a document entitled “Palestine: Ending the Occupation, Establishing the State”, for the next two years is the only program that preserves the two states, undermines the occupation and ruptures its backbone by building the institutions of the de facto state. More than this, in fact, as such a program is the key to repairing relations between the Arabs and the Palestinians, relations that have been eroded over the years, either out of frustration with the Palestinians or out of the fear of bearing responsibility for their cause, including through granting refugees citizenship or because of ongoing Palestinian disputes. This program is not the Palestinian response to Israeli procedures, but rather the Palestinian initiative to impose a reality in the face of Israeli procedures that persist in violating international law and in continuing to build settlements, or those that use deception against the two-state solution to elude the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Quite simply, the Palestinians are for the first time engaged in the initiative of building Palestinian capabilities, Palestinian institutions, the Palestinian state and the bases of independence from relying on monetary aid. And quite frankly, the international community and countries in the region – Arab countries in particular – may find that supporting this initiative and this document is in their interest as well, not only in that of the Palestinians and that of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The first opportunity to show international support will be at the session held by the United Nations General Assembly this month, especially as US President Barack Obama will be placing the Palestinian-Israeli issue at the top of his list of priorities.

http://www.daralhayat.com/portalarticlendah/53667

[ProgressiveMuslim]

1. Did you read this?

In the Name of Statehood


(snip)

This may sound attractive to some, but Fayyad has neither the political clout nor the financial means to propose such far-reaching plans without a green light from Washington or Tel Aviv. He aims to project an image of a competent Palestinian administration already mastering the craft of running a state. He boasts, for instance, that the PA he heads has worked to "develop effective institutions of government based on the principles of good governance, accountability and transparency". But what is really taking shape in the West Bank today is a police state, where all sources of opposition or resistance - real or suspected - to either the PA regime or the Israeli occupation are being systematically repressed by US-funded and trained Palestinian "security forces" in full coordination with Israel. Gaza remains under tight siege because of its refusal to submit to this regime.

In describing the Palestinian utopia he hopes to create, Fayyad's plan declares that: "Palestine will be a stable democratic state with a multi-party political system. Transfer of governing authority is smooth, peaceful and regular in accordance with the will of the people, expressed through free and fair elections conducted in accordance with the law."

A perfect opportunity to demonstrate such an exemplary transfer would have been right after the January 2006 election which, as the entire world knows, Hamas won fairly and cleanly. Instead, those who monopolise the Palestinian Authority leadership today colluded with outside powers first to cripple and overthrow the elected Hamas government and then the "national unity government" formed by the Mecca Agreement in early 2007, entrenching the current internal Palestinian division. (Fayyad's own party won just 2 per cent at the 2006 election, and his appointment as prime minister by PA leader Mahmoud Abbas was never approved by the Palestinian Legislative Council - as required by law - dozens of whose elected members remain behind Israeli prison bars).

From 1994 to 2006, more than $8 billion were pumped into the Palestinian economy, making Palestinians the most aid-dependent people on earth, as Anne Le More showed in her important book, "International Assistance to the Palestinians after Oslo: Political Guilt; Wasted Money" (London, Routledge, March 2008).

The PA received this aid ostensibly to build Palestinian institutions, improve socio-economic development and support the creation of an independent state. The result, however, is that Palestinians are more destitute and aid-dependent than ever before, their institutions are totally dysfunctional and their state remains a distant fantasy.

PA corruption and mismanagement played a large part in squandering this wealth, but by far the largest wealth destroyer was and remains the Israeli occupation. Contrary to what Fayyad imagines, one cannot "end the occupation, despite the occupation"....

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=19676&searchFor=ali%20abu-nimah

[Vegasaurus]

2. So Israelis are responsible for the fact that the Palestinians have

squandered billions of dollars, that they continue to be the most aid dependent people on earth?

Maybe one day the Palestinians will become responsible for their own actions, and maybe then they will get a state.

[bemildred]

3. Don't get me started.

Never met a corrupt stooge they didn't like, never met a legitimate political leader they didn't hate. It's the same script we are still trying to use in Latin America, but it doesn't work anymore down there either, and it never did work except at the point of a gun.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. It's the epitome of racism, really.

[oberliner]

5. Thank you for sharing

Not surprising that the Jordanian Hashemite government stooge Hasan Abu Nimah, and Electronic Intifada's Ali Abunimah are not too keen on this plan.

[shira]

6. all western govts should be 100% behind Fayyad's institution building

[ProgressiveMuslim]

7. "Hashemite gov't stooge?" LOL.. Jordan, the hotbed of radicalism.... that's rich!

[oberliner]

8. Hotbed of radicalism?

What are you talking about?

Jordan is the one of the most moderate countries in the Middle East.