Giving Abbas some space

[IndianaGreen]

Last Update: 26/01/2005 01:37

Giving Abbas some space

By Aluf Benn

The cease-fire achieved by Mahmoud Abbas in Gaza should make quite a few Israelis undertake some soul-searching. Leftists, with their friends in Europe and other foolish followers of Yasser Arafat, should ask themselves if they were not mistaken in their blind support for "the elected president of the Palestinian people," "the national symbol," "the only one with legitimacy." And Ariel Sharon, Shaul Mofaz and Moshe Ya'alon should ask themselves if their brutal reactions to terrorist attacks did not cause unnecessary escalation that led to so many casualties over the four years of conflict.

Arafat's disciples stuck to him as a romantic symbol of the resistance to the occupation and ignored the backing, indeed the push, he gave terror. They parroted his excuses, that he did not have the strength to stop the intifada, that his security forces were smashed by IDF attacks, that Sharon was to blame for everything.

Ironically, it was the liberal camp - ostensibly open to new thinking - that was struck by dogmatism, and insisted on regarding Arafat as a partner to the "peace of the brave" from the days of Oslo, even when he turned to violence.

Now along comes Abu Mazen, and he has already shown in his first week in office there is another way. His declarations condemning the armed intifada were not mere opposition whining but a firm worldview, which is now being translated into policy. Suddenly, it turns out that the Hamas and Islamic Jihad can be persuaded to stop the Qassam and mortar fire, even without an Israeli quid pro quo. Suddenly, it is possible to deploy the Palestinian security forces and order them to stop rocket fire. And suddenly, it appears that the calls to replace Arafat were not merely an Israeli excuse to continue the occupation and the settlements.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=531936&contrassID=1

[bemildred]

1. Eh, interesting things are afoot.

I don't think I'm going to break out the champagne just yet.

[forgethell]

2. For once, Mr. Mildred,

I totally agree with you. Hope we're both wrong.

:)

[bemildred]

3. Yep, hope so too. nt