Daniel Lubetzky

Interesting article about life in Gaza under Hamas.

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More and more mainstream Palestinians disenchanted with the continuing occupation are wondering if they should get behind the call for a "bi-national" "one state" approach.  Most of them prefer a Palestinian State unencumbered by Israeli Jews, and would prefer a two-state solution.  But they wonder if negotiations will ever really lead to this, and wonder if Israelis are willing to make the historic sacrifices and compromises necessary (something most Israelis wonder in parallel about Palestinians).

So many Palestinians want to use the "One State" approach more as a threat or bluff, than as a preferred course.

The Palestine Strategy Group (www.PalestineStrategyGroup.ps) just published a paper analyzing alternative options to accelerate either a two state solution or the One State approach.

While a lot of arguments in this study are compelling and make sense for Palestinians who want to end the occupation, I really worry that the movement towards this One State Threat will backfire.  Here is why.

If Palestinians start pursuing the one-state approach, to the vast majority of Israelis it will translate to “you see, they want the whole thing, a phased approach to Greater Palestine, so let’s not negotiate anything, because we are not getting any real peace in return.”

The “one-state” “threat” is a dangerous one.  On one side it may awaken some people to recognize that if they don’t move fast to end the occupation through two states, that option will disappear.  But on the other side most Israelis may be so threatened and turned off by this vision that they will assume Palestinians are not serious about a two state solution.

A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE IF DIFFICULT APPROACH IS FOR MORE ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS TO RAISE THEIR VOICES AND DEMAND A TWO-STATE-SOLUTION, to put pressure on their politicians, to support moderate policies, to propel an agreement, and TO SHOW THE OTHER SIDE THAT MAJORITIES ARE BEHIND A HISTORIC SOLUTION.

So, to the Palestinian people I recommend: amplify your voice of support for a two-state solution – emphasize you respect Israel’s right to exist, but demand also your liberty and dignity.  THAT WILL BE FAR MORE EFFECTIVE IN RALLYING ISRAELIS AND THE WORLD BEHIND YOU.

And to the Israeli people I recommend: get your act together and support the moderate majority of Palestinians who want a two state solution, before it truly becomes too late and we become enmeshed in an eternal battleground.  Be a credible partner by showing real progress towards establishing a Palestinian State that is vibrant and free.  This can become your formidable partner for the future.

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Results of an Opinion Poll: Hamas and the Truce, the Government, Security Campaigns, The Peace Process and Elections
Publication Date: 18 August 2008
Dr. Nader Said

Field work: 6-8 August 2008
Sample Size: 1200 Young Palestinians (16-25 years) in the West Bank & Gaza
Margin of error: + 3
Introduction:

This poll took place during the final days of fighting between the Executive Force of the Hamas-led government and the Helles family in Gaza. The violence followed a number of explosions that took place in various locations in Gaza City, leading to the killing of 6 Palestinians, most of them from Hamas’ military wing. The subsequent fighting led to the killing of 11 Palestinians, among them were two Hamas fighters and eight members of the Helles family. AWRAD’s field work had to be postponed during the early period of heavy fighting, as the movement in Gaza was highly restricted by Hamas. Some areas selected to be included in the poll were out of reach and dangerous. The reality on the ground in Gaza led to shifts in public opinion towards Hamas and Fateh at the same time, confirming the fact that both factions are losing in Gaza, most especially Hamas. 
Moreover, months of discussions and negotiations have produced no visible progress on key issues of the conflict such as Jerusalem, refugees and borders.  Furthermore, no signs of hope have followed the announcement of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s resignation.

Highlights:

This poll shows the following significant findings and trends:
·            President Abbas enjoys a 63% approval rate, 18 points higher than Haniya.
·            The popularity of Haniya and Hamas in both the West Bank and Gaza declined immediately after the Helles neighborhood fighting.
·            The positive evaluation of Haniya’s government decreased from 55% to 46%.
·            The positive evaluation of the Fayyad government increased from 46% to 55%.
·            Intent of voting for Fateh increased from 47% to 53%; intent of voting for Hamas decreased from 37% to 29%.
·            35% believe that Fateh is more capable in leading the Palestinian society; 17% believe that Hamas is more capable.
·            Abbas, Fayyad, Marwan Al Barghouti or Mustafa Barghouthi could defeat Haniya in a presidential election.
·            93% of Gazans say that economic conditions in the Strip have worsened or have not improved.
·            57% of Gazans feel that the security situation has deteriorated or stayed the same.
·            59% of West Bank respondents believe that the security agencies are fighting crime more effectively now than before.
·            65% say that they are witnessing less car theft now than before.
·            74% support carrying out a legislative election now.
·            92% experience no improvement in the quality of their lives after the Annapolis Meeting.
·            64% believe that the current negotiations will not lead to a Palestinian state.
·            Still, 63% support the continuation of negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.
·            61% believe that Hamas should continue to commit to the truce.
·            52% support that Hamas prevents rockets attacks, while 42% are opposed.
With support from the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)
more information, please contact Team Leader – Dr. Nader Said, or visit our website: www.awrad.org.
AWRAD – Arab World for Research & Development
Ramallah – Gaza, Palestine

Aluf Benn provided an insightful report on what Olmert "offered’ Abbas as a way to at least insert a proposal that may give him a legacy.

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The Daily Star wrote a compellingly sad editorial on how Hamas and Fatah are killing the Palestinian dream. Both have cared more about their power than the Palestinian cause, but it is not a balanced blame. 

Fatah is indeed embroiled in corruption and ineptitude because it lacks a system to give young emerging locally respected leaders representative power, but Hamas is the party that staged a coup and killed hundreds of Palestinians.  Hamas is the party whose "Foreign Minister", Mahmoud Al Zahar, recently said it alone was the representative of God on Earth. 

Under President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad, the West Bank is experiencing some level of development, growth, order, and an admirable push for transparency. Under Hamas, Gaza has become a Taliban-like enclave of terror against ordinary citizens, suppressing all freedoms according to Palestinians living there.

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I was forwarded a provocative but interesting article by David Harris, head of AJC.  While I am a fervent supporter of Israel as the haven and homeland of the Jewish people, I am very sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinian refugees, and I think more will be accomplished by acknowledging their suffering and then moving on to practical solutions along the Clinton parameters.  But Harris does raise some provocative points worthy of consideration. Unfortunately, as with almost everything dealing with the Israeli-Arab conflict, this line of reasoning will appeal to partisan pro-Israeli views and repel partisan pro-Palestinian views, and nothing will come out of it except to further affirm the partisan convictions of each side – which is why I revert back to the approach of helping each side better understand the other’s narrative and then focus on WORKING SOLUTIONS like those offered in OneVoice’s citizen negotiations and the Clinton parameters.  Anyway, here is the article:

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Thanks to Stacy Perman for a profile about PeaceWorks, KIND, and OneVoice in BusinessWeek yesterday.

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From the OneVoice newsletter:

The results are in!

Ø 50 Palestinian winners and 50 Israeli winners have been selected

Ø Read some of the winning essays

Ø Israel & Palestine to Co-Host World Cup in 2018? Check out one vision for the future

· OneVoice Youth Leadership & outreach update

Ø OneVoice Israeli & Palestinian Youth to Tony Blair: “A Mideast Quintet”

Ø From our Gaza office: Town Hall Meeting in Beit Hanoun

Ø OneVoice is Referenced in House of Lords Debate 5 Times

Ø OneVoice Student Leader at Stanford Organizes Islam-West Unity Event

The Imagine 2018 campaign has only just begun – now that 100 winning essayists have been selected, 10 foremost directors will begin selecting 10 essays to turn into short films. 

These films – the visions of Israeli and Palestinian youth brought to life – will be used to inspire people worldwide to envision some of the tangible benefits peace – to empower people to take action, and to ensure that the leadership acts with urgency and commitment to reach a two state agreement which ends the occupation and all forms of violence, and establishes a viable, independent Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the state of Israel.

How you can get involved:

Donate – Sign up to the Movement – Forward our videos – Visit our blog & tell us what you think

The OneVoice Teams in Ramallah, Gaza, Tel Aviv, London, and New York

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For more information and to tell us what you think, please visit our blog:
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Khaled Diab wrote a nice article about OneVoice‘s Imagine 2018 project, asking Palestinian and Israeli kids to visualize what their lives will look like in 10 years IF a peace agreement is achieved between Israel and Palestine.

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Just like on the Palestinian side the call for "resistance" has been strengthening, Israeli views towards negotiations with Palestinians are hardening, according to the latest War and Peace Index conducted by Professor Tamar Hermann.  We’ve got our work cut out for us.

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