[AS
ALWAYS
PLEASE GO TO THE LINK
TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN
FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and
conversations) THAT EMPOWER
DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE &
PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/281529-bias-against-palestinians-on-display-at-hearing
02/06/13
In an unfortunately predictable manner, yet another congressional
hearing held on 5 February 2013 entertained biased, misleading, and
inaccurate statements about what is happening in Palestine. The hearing
was titled “The Fatah-Hamas Reconciliation: Threatening Peace
Prospects,” and yet no Palestinian representatives were invited. It is
important to delineate several matters of concern.
First, Hamas
has acknowledged that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has
the mandate to negotiate a final status agreement with Israel. Their
only concern is that the final agreement be put to referendum. Second,
the reconciliation process is not complete. The PLO, chaired by
President Mahmoud Abbas, has made it clear that any reconciliatory
measures with Hamas must commit to garnering and sustaining the
diplomatic efforts to reach a peace agreement with Israel, bearing in
mind the PLO’s previous agreements and accords with Israel. Third,
reconciliation efforts have been supported by many allies of the United
States in the region, including Egypt and Jordan, the only two countries
that ratified and continue to hold permanent peace agreements with
Israel. Finally, the Israeli leadership itself has repeatedly remarked
that it cannot pursue a peace agreement with a fragmented Palestinian
government.
Contrary to the statements made at the hearing, the above four points
are sufficient proof of Palestinians’ commitment to reaching a just and
lasting peace with Israel. The PLO has renounced violence, recognized
Israel’s right to exist, and has engaged itself in a lengthy negotiation
process for over two decades only to be met by Israeli breaches of
signed agreements, continued violations of basic human rights, and a
relentless campaign of settlement building and other facts on the ground
that undermine the possibility of a two-state solution. Yet, in spite
of the grim situation, the Palestinian leadership invited members of the
new Knesset to have conversations with them on the political process.
This
begs the question: why was a hearing held with such an alarming degree
of misinformation? The answer is the absence of engagement and dialogue.
Unfortunately it has become a habit of congressional hearings on the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict to dismiss the Palestinian perspective
entirely. Who benefits from such a misguided approach? It should be no
surprise that dismissing the Palestinian view is a disservice to the
American constituent, and runs contrary to the principles and purposes
upon which the idea of “impartial” hearings is founded.
Secretary
of State John Kerry is expected to visit Israeli and Palestinian
leaders soon, to be followed by a visit by President Obama in the
spring. While we await these visits with cautious optimism, one cannot
deny that the continued dismissal of Palestinian perspective at the
halls of Congress undermines the credibility of American efforts and
threatens the United States’ geostrategic interest in reaching a just
and lasting peace
between the Israelis and Palestinians.
We
will have our differences; but that is more the reason to engage in
direct and earnest dialogue. Without a comprehensive and representative
outlook at the situation there can be no hope for sound policymaking.
Absenting the Palestinian perspective or even using secondary or
tertiary sources rather than directly using Palestinian voices defies
reason. For our part, The General Delegation of the PLO to the United
States is willing and ready to engage members of Congress in serious and
constructive conversations in order to create a better understanding of
Palestinian positions as well as the situation in our region. Only then
would congressional hearings on Palestine be impartial.
Ambassador Maen Rashid Areikat Chief Representative of the General Delegation of the PLO to the U.S.
