Palestine’s most popular political prisoner in Israeli jails, Marwan Barghouti offered the kiss of death (original Maan story) to today’s meeting in Jordan between Israel and the rump Fatah government, whose purpose was…well, no one’s quite sure:
In a letter written on the occasion of Fatah’s 47th anniversary…Ma’an, Barghouti…said that peace talks with Israel were finished, adding: “there is no point to make desperate attempts to breathe life into a dead body.”
The imprisoned Fatah commander urged the PA to divert its attention to popular protests and an unarmed struggle against Israel, urging the Palestinian leadership to pursue its attempts at recognition at the UN
“Fatah has been in a position of leadership since the beginning of the Palestinian revolution, the leadership in PLO, the establishment of the PA, and the two intifadas, and should be in the leadership of the peaceful popular resistance now,” Ma’an quoted him as writing.
This latest iteration of the moribund peace process is DOA. What more do you want to know?
In this photo from the NY Times you can see the irrepressible Tony Blair, seemingly a glutton for punishment and irrelevance, guiding the cheerleading around the table. And note the requisite TV camera, whose purpose is to document the substance and value of what they are doing, despite all evidence to the contrary. But what were they talking about? Gathering for the purpose of talking about whether they will talk more formally. They even appointed another meeting in a week at which time they will exhaust even more words for naught.
Ethan Bronner, that excellent channeler of the views of Israel’s ruling class, tells us the Jordanian king is hosting this meeting in a desperate bid to head-off the possibility of Islamists infiltrating the Palestinian arena and transforming the political dynamic as they have in Tunisia, Egypt and Syria. What everyone seems to want (including the Fatah old guard who have joined in this charade) is to head off a true, native, youthful resistance movement that might usurp them from their sinecures.
Barghouti, though affiliated with Fatah, understands this, which is why he publicly sabotaged the meeting at the very same time it was happening. He represents the possibility of such genuine popular mass resistance. In that sense he is a threat to the Erekat-Abbas fatcats and to the Israelis. In that sense, you have an amazing confluence of interest on both sides to keep the guy behind bars as long as possible. Once freed, he would take over the Palestinian movement, throw out the sleepy go-along-to-get-along crowd, and sock it to the Israelis. Mustn’t allow that to happen.
I was tickled to read Bronner quote a senior Jordanian officials who explained that the king wanted to be “seen to be doing something” even if it failed. Lame of the lame. The NY Times reporter adds that it is in the interest of Israel and Jordan to promote a “secular Palestinian nationalism.” That sounded curiously to me like it is in Israel and Jordanian interests to promote a Bantustan nationalism. A nationalism that won’t demand a nation. Quite a trick, that.
At one time there may’ve been a secular Palestinian nationalism, but it exists to about the same extent that Israeli secular nationalism exists. In both nations, nationalism has been subsumed by religion. The loudest, most effective nationalists are those who wrap themselves in teffilin, tallitot and whatever the Islamic equivalent is. Secular nationalism appears all but dead on both sides of this conflict. So for Israel to claim it wants to promote a type of nationalism which has virtually died off within its own country is worse than laughable. It’s the height of cynicism. And for Bronner not to question the concept in his reporting is yet another typically shoddy job of reporting.
When will the nations learn not to defy the G-d of Israel who says that israel is a jewish state from 3,500 yrs ago and that He Himself established the borders from Nile to Euphrates and that HE IS A MAN OF WAR who will fight to protect His covenant people !!!!
When will the nations learn…..only after G-d destroys their power and crushes their armies, because the nations ignore to their own horrific end the words of the prophets of Israel
Marwan Barghouti is a secular nationalist.
Isn’t he?
Overall he’s a damn good politician (whatever you might think of him). Even if he’s a secular nationalist (I don’t know what his personal religious views are) he’s going to recognize that Islam plays a critical role in the lives of most Palestinians just as Judaism does in the lives of many Israeli Jews.
this is incredibly bad news for Netanyahu and his cronies; what is truly good about the Palestinians willingness to seemingly act against their own interest (as Israel continues to alter the subject of the negotiation) by meeting face-to-face is that Netanyahu’s chronic excuse of his interpretation of ‘no preconditions’ has been met. now, when the Palestinians go to the UN for recognition and the world nations see how the Palestinians did everything that was possible (even by Israel’s and the US’s standard) while Israel will of course continue to obfuscate; the full membership recognition will be within reach.
Well, no, UN membership requires that no country with a UNSC veto use that veto. The USA — a wholly-owned-subsidiary of AIPAC’s support for Israel’s expansivist government — will use its veto UNLESS Obama can guarantee himself re-election without Zionist money, and even then most likely.
Even if the PA were to bend over backwards like a contortionist, the USA would never vote against the AIPAC ukase.
would significantly enhance prospect for GA resolution, therefore access to ICC
would likely result in greater than 9 votes in SC and therefore a huge potential embarrassment to the US (being Israel’s lacky) and thereby erode US support — it could be that the continuing erosion/disgust with Israel could turn enough public opinion to make play (Paul ain’t doing so bad, a lot better than 4 yrs ago)
And wouldn’t you just hate it, Richard, if something were, in fact, to materialise from the latest round of talks. You’s hate it more than Netanyahu. Because you don’t want to see a Palestinian and a Jewish State side by side. We all know you oppose the existence of a Jewish State with a permanent Jewish majority.
I wouldn’t “hate” it, I’d be dumbfounded. But I’ve been doing this long enough to recognize when a process is DOA, & this one is. The chances of anything constructive coming out of this particular nonsense are about 1 in a trillion.
Frankly, I don’t care what the resolution of the conflict is as long as both sides agree mutually to the outcome. I don’t even oppose a state with a permanent Jewish majority as long as Israeli Jews do so by natural processes & not by expulsion, conquest, theft or other internationally illegal subterfuge.
Your comments lately are taking on a particular nasty edge which not only do I not appreciate, but this violates the comment rules. If you have bile in yr system get it out elsewhere. And don’t lie or exaggerate my views for yr own purposes or you’ll be outa here before you know it.
You are a bitter man. All you do is offend people and take an extremely bleak outlook on matters.
You’re a sad joke.
And you’re moderated. The next similar comment will cause you to lose comment privileges entirely.
Richard is far too optimistic when he says that the “chances of anything constructive coming out of this particular nonsense are about 1 in a trillion.”
Netanyahu will never agree to a 2ss that has any chance with the Palestinians.
All that is interesting about this last ditch maneuver is that Netanyahu will have to respond with something.
Abraham should have had daughters.