Palestinian elections make news in Arabic press

by Thamer Abu Baker

Since Mahmoud Abbas was elected president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in free and democratic elections, the Israeli argument that there is no Palestinian partner to negotiate with is not valid anymore, said Ahmad Amoraby in the UAE-based daily Al Bayan.

The writer said that Abu Mazen is not only a leader elected at the ballot box, but one that is seen as a moderate political leader by the Israelis and the Americans. This means that the ball is now in the Israeli court.

On the other side of the fence, the Palestinians are wondering how their president will deal with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the US president, George W. Bush, without making fundamental concessions, said Amoraby.

The writer argued that the Israeli government declared that in any forthcoming meeting with new Palestinian leadership, it will discuss only the security arrangements, not the peace process. Abu Mazen, however, wants to discuss the final-status issues, but Sharon refuses to discuss these issues because his strategy is to focus on security arrangements and minor issues in order to establish new facts on the ground before the resumption of peace negotiations. In brief, Sharon wants the PNA to be an agent of the Israeli security services. Therefore, the new Palestinian leadership has only two options: either to be Sharon's agent or to take the path of military resistance against the occupation, said the writer.

Saleh Al Qallab, writing in the London-based daily Asharq Al Awsat, said that when the Palestinians voted for Abbas as their president, they voted for the peace process as well because they knew very well Abbas' belief in this regard. The writer said that Abu Mazen's election means a transformation from revolution to state, because he holds views and beliefs that are different from those of Yasser Arafat.

Abu Mazen will lead the public rather than let the public lead him as Arafat did on many occasions. Arafat and his aides did not establish a state during the ten years he was president, but conducted affairs in the same manner they did the revolution in Lebanon, said Qallab. However, he added, such transformation, from revolution to state, will not take place if the Israelis use the same methods they did during Arafat's reign. Moreover, the practices of some Palestinian groups will not help this transformation because military attacks by these groups give Israel the excuse to continue its current policies.

Qallab stressed that the elections gave Abu Mazen a mandate to implement the required reforms in the PNA and to replace some of the corrupt figures with honest and educated leaders.

Hazem Sagyah argued that both Hamas and Israel want rewards from Abu Mazen because the former believes it is a victim of the occupation while Israel believes it is a victim of terrorism. Thus, each party wants the newly elected president to award it at the expense of the other and this will make Abu Mazen's mission a failure.

Writing in the London-based daily Al Hayat, the columnist stated that it is true that Hamas and Israel didn't put obstacles before the elections, but such an attitude must continue and be strengthened in order to help the new president succeed in his mission.

The writer went on to say that Israel is strong enough militarily to win over and over, but it cannot solve the problem of the Palestinian people this way; besides, the conflict has many negative political and economic consequences on Israel itself. On the other hand, Hamas could maintain its military operations, but this will not lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state, only make more Palestinians miserable. Therefore, Israel has no choice but to resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians, and Hamas has no alternative other than the peace path. Abbas will not succeed in stopping terrorism if the Palestinians do not feel that their living conditions improve and this cannot happen without stopping the attacks against Israel.

The Omani daily Al Watan said that the election of Abbas is a good way to start a new path for the Palestinian people struggle. However, this new era requires the unity of the Palestinian people and the assistance of all those who voted for him, to help him resume the peace negotiations with Israel.

Al Watan added that it is essential to reform the PNA and reorganise the internal front in order to encourage Israel to resume the peace process. The new plan to reform the Palestinian security services is an encouraging step taken by the new Palestinian leadership. Although the military groups reject the peace negotiations as a way to establish the Palestinian state, realities on the ground must be taken into consideration and they must give the peaceful approach a chance. This is a moment of truth and the Palestinians must deal with it carefully, the daily concluded.

This article appeared in the Sunday, January 16, 2005 edition of the Jordan Times. It is used here with permission.