The father of the Palestinian nation, Yasser Arafat, has passed away and in his death he finally called the bluff of many who branded him an ‘obstacle.’ A convenient excuse, Arafat has been used as the reason for the election of a war criminal, Ariel Sharon, the Prime Minister of Israel. Arafat has also been blamed for the ‘collapse of negotiations’ when he had refused a Swiss cheese like state (Camp David), through signing away the rights of the Palestinians, which the overwhelming majority view as nonnegotiable red lines. Some blamed him for his looks, for his power or for his history, the very same credentials that are used to explain the late President’s unique powers and role as a Palestinian symbol that no one can dispute, disrespect or disregard.

“A moment of opportunity” they say, from Powell to Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Sha’ath. Some say this in order to be in sync with the newly elected right wing neo-conservative American administration, others actually believe it!

The opportunity might be there because today we are under the mercy of a merciless and unjust ‘moderator of peace’ which has been anything but evenhanded and had viewed Yasser Arafat as ‘irrelevant.’ Blaming the occupied for resisting occupation while legalizing illegal structures and practices (settlements and occupation) which are spreading like cancer and being cemented further in effect killing the two state solution.

How true are the intentions in making a just peace and ending years of suffering, displacement, occupation and oppression against a nation?

No Palestinian will cross the red lines set by the overwhelming majority and made as policy in the era of the late President. The Palestinians have already sacrificed a great amount, accepting 1967 borders (22% of Palestine mandate), recognizing Israel’s right to exist, and seek a viable independent state to call their own.

Viability requires contiguity, security, economic sustainability and capability for growth. Peace requires justice. These are not slogans these are very realistic and basic demands, which are guaranteed by international conventions.

With elections around the corner and Israel pledging to allow what they had not allowed since 2000, Palestinian elections, to take place most factions are nominating different candidates for the presidency. Nine Palestinian men and women have already put their names on the ballet and are running for President, but all political forces agree on the red lines which are universally exhausted by Palestinians.

Resigned Secretary of State Collin Powell just wrapped up his visit to the areas, in which he asked Israel to allow and help elections to take place. British Foreign Minister Jack Straw is in Israel and the Palestinian territories today trying to contribute towards the momentum and asking for the same guarantees by Israel.

The world wants an end to the Palestinian Israel conflict for it is a blatant case of injustice that everyone in the Middle East points to when America and the West talk about spreading democracy and humanity.

Toni Blair has explained that fighting terror would have to include dealing with some root problems, such as Israel’s occupation and violation of international law and UN resolutions, in order to calm peoples’ feelings of a double standard when it comes to dealing with countries in the Middle East as opposed to dealing with Israel.

After all is said and done, the average Palestinian is casting serious doubts when it comes to Israel and its true intentions in allowing Palestinians to have free democratic and transparent elections. Ariel Sharon is already retracting his FM Shalom’s statements of easing restrictions on movement and withdrawal of the occupation army by citing “still a danger of terror” as an excuse.

Without proper pressure that holds Israel accountable for its responsibilities, elections can never take place. America must learn from the past and do away with foreign policies which are highly influenced by the pro-Israel lobby; it should realize that this Israeli government is only interested in wasting time while creating more new realities on the ground:
-The wall
-Annexation
-Settlements
-Destruction
-Assassinations
-Tree uprooting
-Exclusively Jewish bypass roads on privately owned Palestinian land
-And much more

Counting on Israel’s good faith will never result in a just solution. The task is difficult however still doable if and only if a third party can have the commitment, the right to observe and be the judge, while having the power to hold both sides accountable for their responsibilities.