opinion

Supporting Yasser Arafat

KURT SANSONE argues that the international community must back Yasser Arafat sooner rather then later

If not so tragic, the situation in the Middle East would be a pathetic rendition of the tit-for-tat we often see practised by school children who end up fighting between them.

The teacher asks who broke the chair and instead of owning up to the deed, the warring parties end up blaming each other. Even if one side gets to admit a wrongdoing, it is quickly followed by a heavily-laden ‘but’ to justify the action.

Only recently I had the occasion to meet President de Marco during a reception for journalists at the Palace in Valletta and inevitably the brief discussion quickly turned to the crisis in the Middle East, a topic which is very close to the President’s heart.

Prof. de Marco has no qualms about describing the Palestinian people as the underdogs. I cannot agree more. They are a people deprived of their land living in dirty refugee camps and with an economy in tatters. Palestine can have no future unless its children get off the streets and into the classrooms, something which, day by day, is becoming more and more difficult to achieve.

And in this ugly, poverty-driven scenario, the blame for despicable suicide bombers whose life chances have been blown to smithereens by Israeli missiles is put squarely on Yasser Arafat’s shoulder. But surely we have to ask how Arafat can give Israel the peace of mind it asks for when he is practically holed up in his home surrounded by tanks, with the capability of his security forces being degraded constantly by helicopter attacks and no concrete achievements to show his people. The Palestinian leader has been rendered helpless, something which is backfiring on Israel.

In Arafat’s words, what needs to be achieved is a "peace of the braves". Strong words indeed, which mean that both parties have to clamp down on the extremists in their own camps and move ahead, regardless of the atrocities that may be carried out. Honest, innocent citizens on both sides of the divide would definitely be better off earning a decent living for their families and living in a safe and secure environment.

The reality is that each time peace appears on the horizon extremists on both sides try to sabotage the deal bringing with it a natural reaction of anger and retribution. Unless this vicious cycle is broken, Israel will remain without peace and Palestine will remain a state-less dirt land.

Undoubtedly the international community has a much more forceful role to play. According to United Nations resolutions, which have been in place for decades, Israel must withdraw from the occupied territories. Unfortunately Israel continues to ignore these resolutions and in doing so it is backed by the United States. An international concerted effort must be made to put pressure on Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories. The European Union can do much more to take the leading role in this situation given the lopsided effort by the US.

An international peacekeeping force would have to be deployed in Palestinian territories to ensure that the UN resolutions are fully adhered to and that borders are secure.

The Palestinians have been abandoned for too long by the international community and although violence can never be condoned, a population pushed to the brink of despair has no alternative but to fight its way out of the situation. At this crucial moment Arafat must be supported, not ostracised, and time is running out really fast.

kurt@maltamag.com