Go back, Israel

Many Israelis are wondering whether Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has a clear strategy beyond the immediate attack on the Palestine Authority and Chairman Yasser Arafat. US President George Bush has therefore done well to call for a just settlement based on the principle of ‘‘two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security’’. This essentially should be the endgame for which Secretary of State Colin Powell would now proceed to the region to work with. While Bush has been very firm in calling on the Palestinians to end terrorism, he has also made the clearest demand yet issued by a US president for an end to ‘‘Israeli settlement activity in occupied territories’’. While the US has not set the time lines, it has unequivocally asked Israel to ‘‘halt incursions into Palestine-controlled areas and begin the withdrawal from those cities it has recently occupied.’’

It is unfortunate that Sharon has already rejected Bush’s calls. Given the international climate and realities since September 11, Israel has the sympathy and support of the international community in dealing with terrorism. The international community has increasingly come together to ensure that terrorism, especially that pursued in the name of religion, cannot be tolerated anywhere and must be erased from the world. But it is not clear what is the strategy that Israel has formulated beyond the immediate military attack. It is difficult to perceive any long term gains in reducing Palestine Authority to the four walls of one room lit by torch-light, and blasting its rule to smithereens by gun and tank fire. Israelis, of all the people, ought to understand the driving motivations of people to accept the highest sacrifices when their very survival is threatened. It is, therefore, difficult to believe that terrorism in the Middle East would get eliminated without the Palestinians getting what President Bush has termed a ‘‘just settlement’’.

The US president has left no scope for doubt of what is expected from the Palestinian leadership in terms of priorities when he said ‘‘the world expects an immediate ceasefire, immediate resumption of security co-operation with Israel against terrorism and immediate order to crack down on terrorist networks’’. Chairman Arafat has accepted the demands unconditionally. It is unfortunate that Israel delivered a serious snub to the European Union peace mission. All eyes are now set on US Secretary of State Colin Powell and his mission to the area. Sharon can hardly ignore the US message or position taken — and should not, if it has any grand strategy for the future and wants to avoid the type of blunder of two decades ago. It must not try delaying tactics to ensure military successes. Both the Israelis and Palestinians must recognise that it is not in their interest to withdraw into their own private escalatory spirals of violence. It is easy to give up life in a fidayeen act; but it takes greater courage to achieve peace with justice through non-violence.