by Ghassan Khatib - Bitterlemons - March 19, 2007
The Palestinian Authority has finally managed to put together a new Palestinian Cabinet. The unity government is new and unique in many ways.
First, it includes the two main rival Palestinian factions, Fateh and Hamas. These two were recently engaged in fierce military confrontations mostly in Gaza. Second, the government has a political platform that is neither the PLO`s nor that of the traditional opposition, i.e., Hamas and others.
But while the Palestinian people received news of the formation of the government with optimism there was little enthusiasm. The optimism stems from the hope that, like the Mecca agreement, the government will maintain internal calm and adhere to the ceasefire between Fateh and Hamas that has been observed in Gaza since Mecca. The lack of popular enthusiasm, meanwhile, is a result of the very low expectation that the new government can do much to improve the economic, social and political difficulties people have faced in the last seven years.
There are three reasons for this. One is the deep and justified sense that underlying Palestinian problems cannot be solved by Palestinians but rather are due to the Israeli occupation, the practices that arise as a result of that occupation and the actions in response, or lack of them, from the international community.
Secondly, and as much as national unity is a popular choice, there are deep misgivings among the public about the quality of the people in the new Cabinet.
The Hamas representatives are those who served and, in the public perception, failed in the last Cabinet. The Fateh ministers, meanwhile, have been chosen from the lesser-known ranks of the party and are not seen as the strongest candidates. Instead, the independent personalities in the new Cabinet appear the most qualified for their positions.
There is also a strong sense that little can be expected from this government in terms of the vital services it is meant to provide the Palestinian people, especially since the financial crisis that began with the first Hamas government appears set to continue in this second Hamas-led Cabinet in spite of the inclusion of Fateh and independent representatives.
The international community appears determined to continue the financial boycott of the PA, despite some debate in Europe. Past experience shows that Europe will eventually follow Washington`s lead, and the US shows no sign of departing from the line it is taking from Tel Aviv.
This is in spite of the fact that while the new government has little chance of playing a significant political role, it has clearly delegated that responsibility to President Mahmoud Abbas. That should allow a window of opportunity for the political process that Condoleezza Rice has been promising in her two last visits.
One important obstacle is the failure to solve the prisoners` exchange issue and that of the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. In fact, the highly exaggerated negative Israeli attitude vis-a-vis this new government can be partially understood as an expression of Israeli desperation to solve the Shalit problem in order to ease internal pressure rather than any problem per se with the composition of the Palestinian government.
In fact, the unity government represents a significant move by Hamas toward international legality. This is something that must be appreciated, especially by Israel.
The platform of the government includes an explicit commitment to respect previously signed agreements between the PLO and Israel. It also expresses respect for the relevant resolutions of the UN and international legality. Finally and most importantly, Hamas recommitted itself to the ongoing ceasefire with Israel in Gaza and promised to expand it to the West Bank.
That is supposed to be one of Israel`s main benchmarks in "evaluating" Hamas and its government.
Indeed from a Palestinian perspective, Hamas can even be criticized for making political concessions without achieving any in return and prior to any negotiations, in order simply to maintain its position in power.
This was something Hamas vowed to avoid when it was first elected. In light of Israel`s refusal to abide by signed agreements, Hamas would appear to be duplicating Fateh`s position in return for continuing in power.
The move to international legality is something that is likely to be reinforced at the upcoming Arab League summit in Riyadh. There, a Palestinian delegation headed by Abbas and including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh is likely to attend and ratify an Arab initiative that is essentially a clear and forceful declaration of support for international legality in the form of a two-state solution on the 1967 lines and with a just solution to the Palestinian refugee issue.- Published 19/3/2007 © bitterlemons.org
Ghassan Khatib is the coeditor of the bitterlemons family of internet publications. He is vice-president of Birzeit University and a former Palestinian Authority minister of planning
