Arafat vacillates on Geneva Accord

Arafat vacillates on Geneva Accord
Dec 3, 2003, 00:11


Occupied Jerusalem - Faced with a strong public opposition to the Geneva
document, Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat has found himself in a
very "unenviable position" using the words of one PA official.

According to reliable Palestinian sources, Arafat privately encouraged
Palestinian officials who negotiated and signed the accord last month.

Indeed, there is an almost total unanimity among Palestinian political
circles that PA official Yasser Abed Robbo would have dared not sign the
document had he not had a definite "green light" from Arafat.

So, why is Arafat reluctant to speak up openly in support of the accord?

The answer clearly lies in the overwhelming opposition among Palestinians to
accord, especially those parts tacitly conceding the right of return.

This opposition is strong first among the Fatah ranks, second the
Palestinian public in the West Bank and Gaza Strip where Hamas, and third
among the refugees themselves in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Arafat knows quite well that he would lose stature, even legitimacy, rather
drastically, if not dramatically, if he confronted the Palestinian masses
with the "shock of their lifetime," namely conceding the right of return.

He also realizes that the shock would be even more shocking and stunning in
the absence of a full and complete Israeli withdrawal to the lines of the
fourth of June, 1967, as is the case with the Geneva Accord.

Another important reason explaining Arafat's hesitation is Ariel Sharon's
"total rejection" the accord.

On Monday, Sharon reportedly described the accord as "amounting to suicide"
for the Jewish state.

In fact, Sharon's deputy, Ehud Olmert lashed out at US Secretary of State
Collin Powell for planning to meet with Palestinian and Israeli signatories
to the accords, calling the step "harmful and very negative."

Arafat reportedly did call the accord " a brave initiative that would push
the peace process forward."

However, he has so far refused to adopt it officially, insisting, as have
other PA officials, that the accord remains an "unofficial initiative."

"Our position is that it is an unofficial initiative," said PA Prime
Minister Ahmed Qreai' during a press conference in Ramallah Sunday.

But official or unofficial, it is clear that the signing of the accord by PA
officials, though in their personal capacity, would ultimately weaken the
Palestinian stance on Jerusalem and the right of return in any future
negotiations with Israel.

This is at least the view of Arab Knesset member Azmi Bishara.

"In the future, the Israelis and the world at large will not accept any new
Palestinian claims in connection with the right of return. They will tell
the Palestinians you agreed to give up the right of return, so why are you
raising this subject once again," said Bishara during a television interview
Monday.

Moreover, there is another potentially disastrous flaw in the Geneva Accord
from the Palestinian view point, namely "recognizing Israel as the state of
the Jewish people."

This, say many Palestinian critics, could set the stage for the future
expulsion of non-Jews, particularly the 1.3 million strong Palestinian
community, from Israel.

http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/