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06/03/2005:

"A Two-State Solution is No Solution"

by Mazin Qumsiyeh
In DC last week, Huwaida Arraf of the International Solidarity movement posed two questions for the Palestinian Authority (PA) Foreign Minister:

1) Why is the PA not articulating the clear and continuing human rights violations by Israel, and

2) Since Mahmud Abbas wants Palestinians to end armed resistance to Israeli colonization why does his authority not show any visible participation or support for the Palestinian non-violence resistance?

His response was that he used to be president of an activist group and knows that activists may say a lot of things that leaders cannot and should not say. He also said that everyone knows Palestinians engage in non-violent resistance and obviously "we think it is good."

Then Phyllis Bennis asked why he stated that the PA "did not like Bush's written assurances to Sharon but we choose to interpret them in light of International law." She explained that this makes little sense considering that Sharon is proceeding based on these assurances to consolidate control in the occupied West Bank, that such assurances contravene international law and that the Bush administration has a history of violating international law. He did not reply.

PA leaders are not in enviable positions. They are required by an imbalance of power to fulfill the Bush and Sharon "visions" of security for the occupier in return for positions of "leadership" over the captive Palestinians. The PA leaders claim that Israeli settlement policies are destroying the "vision of a two state solution." But outgoing Israeli Army Chief Yaalon said it well "A two-state solution, is not relevant...it is a story that the Western world tells with Western eyes and that story does not comprehend the scale of the gap and the scale of the problem. We, too, are sweeping it under the carpet."

And why are the Palestinains fulfilling their obligations under an unfair road map even while Israel refuses to implement its obligations of a full settlement freeze. As for two-states, there is already a state called Israel with discrimnatory laws, with nuclear weapons and the fourth strongest army in the world. Zionism survives only in so far as it prevents Palestinians attaining their basic human rights such as the right to return to their homes and lands and the right to self-determination. Zionism and Israeli law claim all Jews around the world are nationals of the state and give them the "right" to automatic citizenship while denying Palestinian Christians and Muslims the right to return to their homes simply for being Gentiles. Palestinians by contrast are in shrinking cantons on less than 10% of their historic lands.
Full: counterpunch.org