| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
The American Elections in Palestinian Eyes
In few days, the American elections will take place and one of the two dramatic candidates is going to run the American administration for at least four years. While the U.S is preparing to hold one of its most challenging elections, the Palestinians remain without any hope for a real change in the political situation or a real American interference that would invest in ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands.
Trump stated several times that he is committed to assure the security of Israel, promised to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and to recognize Jerusalem as the united capital of Israel. Clinton also assured her full support for Israel and some reports talked about leaks showing that she is only interested in administrating the conflict through talks about the two states solution without real intentions to push towards a solution. Clinton’s ability to get involved in reaching a solution for the Israeli Palestinian conflict is restricted by the Israeli desires and demands; something like an incident that happened with me. I was once invited to meet with Clinton when she was the secretary of state. Upon my arrival with other Palestinian journalists to the hotel where she resided, the Israeli Shabak security service requested that we take off our clothes to be searched before meeting her. We refused and went back home. This shows exactly how much can Clinton do for the Palestinians or at least their reasonable requests while being controlled by the lobby supporting Israel in the U.S and the Israeli government that is running the show in the Middle East.
In former negotiations that took place between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the U.S was always in the middle as an official mediator but not a real pusher for a solution that ends the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands. The former U.S administrations remained silent when Israel made several illegal actions that contradict with the International Law when speaking about its policy towards the Palestinians. The maximum that can be found is a American statement made by the state department “criticizing” the building of new Israeli settlements in the West Bank without a clear and firm demand from the Israelis to stop it. President Obama who promised that he will deal with the Israeli Palestinian conflict and push towards a solution failed to do so and found himself restricted by the interests of his party and unable to face the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu refusal to make any development towards a solution with the Palestinians.
Some would argue that the solution should come from the Palestinians and the Israelis themselves while others would blame the Palestinians for the failure in reaching a solution under the Two States solution umbrella but facts are clear:
- The Palestinians are a people under occupation and the weak side in this conflict equation. The stronger side which is Israel is simply refusing to give what would be the minimum which the Palestinians have been asking for to put an end to the conflict.
- The U.S holds the moral responsibility and the International as well to put an end for this long occupation because of its claims of supporting Human Rights, International Law, Democracy and justice. An involvement in a conflict should not be set per interests only but also real values; or liberalism could become a part of the past and Realistic thought built on interests can become the real title of the foreign affairs of the U.S.
- The current Israeli government is far away from any kind of compromise with the Palestinians. On the contrary, the Israeli government just requested to postpone a court decision to evacuate one of the Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Not only that, but the whole formation of the Israeli government is built on the presence of the extreme Israeli right political parties that are currently running the Education and Defense ministries.
- For the Palestinians, it became just unrealistic to keep on following the unrealistic promises that things can get better if they fulfill the requests of Israel or any other side interfering in the peace process. President Abbas showed full commitment for the quartet road map plan, assured full security cooperation and prevented any attacks against Israel – the result was an Israeli demonization of him and a claim that he is too weak to make peace with.
History will judge and tell how leaders dealt with the Israeli Palestinian occupation specially that we are talking about a clear and ongoing occupation that is illegal when speaking about the simplest basics of the International Law. There is no place for any kind of justification for an illegal action when speaking and at the same time believing in the democratic norms that promise a better future for those who commit to it. One thing seems to be sure and that is most of the former American Presidents failed to apply the democratic and liberal norms they talked about when it came to the Palestinian cause and now we are witnessing a real extreme change in the public declarations about the possible future policy of the U.S towards the Middle East specially in Trump’s speech.
Source: http://middleastpost.com/2016/11/the-american-elections-in-palestinian-eyes/
