Common Sense Invades Brussels Over Palestine? by Nick Gray
http://www.thecommentator.com/article/5443/common_sense_invades_brussels_over_palestine
Nick Gray is Director, Christian Middle East Watch, a British organisation dedicated to objective and factual discussion of Middle Eastern issues, especially of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Nick, who is a regular contributor to The Commentator, blogs at cmewonline.com
Fatah, like Hamas, would like Israel to somehow disappear, but (being “moderate”) they are prepared to wait a bit longer to see it happen. The EU is still no friend of Israel, but in its recent vote it gave Fatah and Abbas a well-deserved snub.
Yesterday’s long-awaited EU Parliament motion on recognition of a Palestinian state became a tussle between the trendy lefties of the EU and the moderate right wingers. To everyone’s advantage, the centre-right grouping of MEPs negotiated a revision that has brought some common sense to the ongoing debate.
The EU Parliament was originally asked to pass a motion that would have asked for unconditional recognition of a Palestinian state that does not yet exist, and may never do so if the Palestinian Authority does not stop inciting its people to hate and kill Israelis.
Unsurprisingly, this emphasis on unconditional recognition was pushed hard by the left-wing party grouping of MEPs, emulating Sweden’s recent official definitive recognition of “Palestine”. Two groups which together command a large majority in the Parliament (the European People’s Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) used their combined weight to foce a compromise motion.
The final motion that was voted on yesterday afternoon revived the tired concept of the “two-state solution”, saying that the Parliament “…supports in principle recognition of Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution, and believes these should go hand in hand with the development of peace talks, which should be advanced.”
No doubt, the PA will claim a huge success and add the EU Parliament to its disputed total of 135 countries that recognise this fiction of a state. The triumph of common sense, however, is in the condition that recognition should “go hand in hand” with more peace talks.
This condition recognises supremely that unilateral actions to create this new state cannot succeed without talking to the Israelis and reaching compromise solutions on the so far insurmountable red lines that have caused round after round of talks to stall.
The resolution that was passed also encouraged an end to “internal divisions” between Fatah and Hamas in order to consolidate a united Palestinian government. This, however, flies in the face of Quartet insistence that all members of a future Palestinian government must be committed to end violence, recognise Israel and accept previously signed agreements and international obligations.
Since Hamas has just re-stated its determination to see an end to Israel, preferably by violent means, a truly united government looks further away than ever. Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction would also like Israel to somehow disappear, but (being “moderate”) they are prepared to wait a bit longer to see it happen.
While yesterday’s EU vote does not give the Palestinians the recognition they want, this does not mean that Europe has suddenly changed any of its current attitudes towards Israel and the conflict with the Palestinians.
Further EU member states are at liberty to urge their governments to recognise a Palestinian state (Portugal has just become the latest) and such issues as construction in Israeli settlements are still causing blood pressures to rise in Brussels.
In the meantime, of course, Mr Abbas is insisting on taking his case for international recognition to the UN Security Council, going against American wishes and as yet without the support of a majority of Council members. This is more posturing and headlining, looking for more and more symbolic votes, knowing that if he keeps going long enough one day the symbols might just become reality.
The reality for some time to come is that Abbas heads an entity with no defined borders, no cohesive elected government and not even its own currency.
Recognition by every other country in the world will not in itself produce an effective, viable Palestinian Arab state next-door to Israel.
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