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| Middle East |
| Two-state plan at risk, warns Arafat |
| 2004-01-25 |
| EFL The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has declared that "time is running out for the two-state solution" to the Middle East conflict - in an exclusive interview with the Guardian - because of the impact of Israel’s "security barrier" and settlement expansion on the viability of a future Palestinian state. The unprecedented warning from a man who has devoted the past 30 years to "Will they solve their problem by withdrawing unilaterally?", he asked, insisting that the Palestinian leadership remained "committed to peace" and that the way forward was for a "strong push from the international community and the rapid deployment of UN forces or observers". No thanks. We got suckered into Beruit. He hailed last month’s unofficial Geneva accord setting out the framework of a possible peace deal, despite widespread Palestinian hostility over its effective abandonment of refugee right of return to what is now Israel. "It’s not binding because they weren’t official talks, but we appreciate it," he said. Since when hav the PLA treated official talks to be binding? "Abu Mazen failed because the Israelis didn’t give him anything," Mr Arafat said, "no release of prisoners, nothing on the building of the wall, no lifting of the siege of the pres ident." The new prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, has demanded concrete concessions before talks are resumed, while the US and Israel are insisting that the Palestinian Authority "confront terror". I think that Senor Arafat will have ample opportunity to confront terror in teh near term. "They know they can’t replace me," the Palestinian president said. " We are not in Afghanistan - we are proud of our democracy". If you already have a working democracy, or state,then the two state solution is at hand. Here are the reins. He also said he has offered the Quartet (the US, EU, UN and Russia) to hold new elections in the Palestinian territories this April or June, despite the practical difficulties in towns and villages under siege - though the US and Israel are known to be anxious to avoid new presidential elections, which they believe Mr Arafat would win. Why would we care? They can elect him Duke of New York, A number one or Mr Big. Mr Arafat’s warning about the prospects for a two-state solution if Israel presses on with its wall reflects a growing conviction among Palestinians, expressed this month by Mr Qureia, that if Israel continues to build settlements, walls and fences in occupied territory, they may be forced to abandon the goal of an independent Palestinian state in favour of equal rights in a "single democratic state". I don’t see that Jordan would have a big problem giving you equal rights. Don’t bother talking to Syria; they’ll be busy here shortly. The senior Palestinian negotiator and cabinet minister Sa’eb Erekat told the Guardian: "The two state solution is being buried by an apartheid system of Palestinian bantustans and walled city prisons. No in apartheid, the whites still ruled the seperated black areas. This is more like ... is there an Afrikaner expression for pruning a diseased branch? "If the Israelis withdraw unilaterally, the Palestinian authority will collapse." Yes, but what is the downside? |
| Posted by:Super Hose |
| #1 "They know they can’t replace me," the Palestinian president said." We are not in Afghanistan - we are proud of our democracy". What's that supposed to mean? |
| Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-1-25 10:30:06 PM |