Palestinian/Israeli Conflict: “Reality On Ground”

In this piece, Felix Eghie Sugaba examines the issues at play in the Palestinian/Israeli Conflict, and attempts a journey into the future of what is arguably the most protracted conflict in the Middle East

Reno Omokri`s recent piece on the Palestinian versus Israeli conflict, made an interesting reading. One must commend him for the write up. It served to educate those of us, who erroneously believe that the conflict between the two entities is based on religion. Even as I do not intend this as a rejoinder to that of Reno Omokri, I am however, tempted not to ignore some of his assertions that I disagree with.

Two-State Solution

Let me pick on the two-state solution. Two-State Solution Omokri wrote in his piece, “Islamic Jihad, Hamas not recognising the right of Israel to exist, is “what is militating against the two-state solution”. Permit me to disagree. Indeed, the destruction of the State of Israel was enshrined in the creed of not only Hamas and Islamic Jihad, but also in the Charter of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO).

However, during the Oslo accord in April 1993, this issue was addressed in an exchange of letters between PLO leader, Yasser Arafat, and Israel Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres. In those letters, the PLO unambiguously conveyed its acceptance of UN Resolution 242 and 338, and its recognition of the right of Israel to exist. In response, Israel reciprocally recognised the PLO, as the representative of the Palestinian people. This measure was formally ratified by the entire Palestinian National Council (PNC), whose meeting took place in Gaza in December 1998. (Source: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guide to the Mideast Peace Process).

Note that, the PNC is an amalgam of all Palestinians and their representatives, in and out of the occupied land. Part of its functions is to formulate policies and programs for the Palestinian Government. The major outcome of that Gaza meeting in 1998, was the unanimous decision to abrogate from the Palestinian Charter, the clause that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. The State of Israel was formally recognised, and the right of Israel to exist was unequivocally pronounced and upheld by all the Palestinian factions (including Hamas and Islamic Jihad) who were represented at the conference. It is therefore, not correct to state that any Palestinian Organisation is yet to recognise the State of Israel.

What is militating against the two-State solution? It is quite simple: East Jerusalem. As part of her proffered solution, Israel has indicated time and again that she is willing to embrace the two-State solution, if the Palestinians renege on their claim to East Jerusalem as their future capital, a proposal the Palestinians regard as “haram” (forbidden) and vehemently refuse. This stalemate over East Jerusalem, is the primary reason for Israel’s refusal to accept the two-State solution. The strategy is premised on a simple logic: a head is not desirable without a body. It simply means that without a Palestinian State (body), Palestinians would have no need for East Jerusalem as capital (head).

The Reality on Ground

The gloom and despair that is witnessed over the Israel/Palestine conflict, simply underlines the very nature of it; age-long, intertwined, ancestrally knotted, protracted and frustratingly, irreconcilable. It is obvious, even to the wildest optimist, that the issues are virtually unresolvable. The international community has begun to reconcile itself to what it calls “the reality on ground”. The reality on ground, is the Israeli continuation of settlements in the West Bank; it is the ongoing forceful displacement and removal of Arab residents from East Jerusalem, to pave way for an undivided Jewish capital in Jerusalem; it is the declaration of Golan Heights and other annexed enclaves by Israel as her territories, despite UN Resolution 242 which calls for withdrawal from such territories; It is the Israeli State policy to maintain the demography of Israel as a purely Jewish State, thereby indicating that the return of Palestinian refugees is a forgone conclusion.

The reality on ground in effect, is the solution Israel has unpretentiously carved in place which is playing out in all her actions and inactions against the Palestinians. The Arab world and other Middle East players are gradually coming to grips with the “reality on ground”. Negotiations between the two parties, are stalled. The roadmap to final status, leads to no destination. The recent normalisation of relations between Israel and other Arab States of Sudan, Morocco, and more notably, Bahrain and UAE which is termed Abraham Accord, is the clearest indication that ‘things are falling apart’ for the Palestinians, ‘the centre can no longer hold’.

That Israel is being courted by its decades sworn enemies, speaks volumes. These developments are no footling gestures towards Israel. They are quite remarkable, a paradigm shift in Middle East politics, with a clear message that the status quo is no longer sustainable. The realignment in the Middle East shows how wearing, exhausting and costing the Palestinian/Israeli issue has become. It indicates that the Arab countries are ready to move past the current stalemate, and have begun to prioritise their own security and economic needs, as well as other domestic and international policies. They have no more appetite to dwell continuously on a conflict, the outcome of which is predictable, and much seems concluded. At least, not any longer at the expense of their own strategic interests.

My Summary

Given the share intractable weight of the contentious issues that are referred to as stinking points, namely: the claim to East Jerusalem, Return of Palestinian Refugees to their ancestral homes and Return to pre-1967 borders, here is my summary of the outlook Israel appears to have casted on stones: (a)East Jerusalem: Never will it be the capital of a Palestinian State.

Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel. (b)Return of Refugees: Palestinian refugees would never be allowed back to their ancestral homes in Israel. Such a move will alter the demography of the Jewish State. (c)Borders: Israel will never recede to pre-67 territorial borders. The security of the State rests on it.

It is my contention that, it is no longer appropriate or feasible to talk about solutions or amicable solutions, to be more precise. The question that readily comes to mind, is whose solutions? As the warring parties clutch their non-negotiable set goals to their chest, the word solution becomes relative and subjective. The bigger question therefore is, what next? Can we be rational and pragmatic in our pursuit of solutions? In my opinion, the solution lies mainly in prosperity for the Palestinians.

Solution: Poverty Alleviation

It is an understatement to say that, poverty is quite severe and punishing in Palestine. It is important to emphasise that, the situation has its root in Israelis policy of blockade that is akin to Nigerian policy of deprivation during the Biafran war. The strategy aims to strangulate the Palestinians to submission, by blocking or selectively disallowing essential goods and services from flowing into Gaza and other Palestinian enclaves. In addition, a large percentage of the land meant for production, has been occupied by Israel. The Palestinian economy, is in shambles. Even where production is possible, resources are scarce. Education is completely at the mercy of foreign donors.

Movement and freedom for Palestinians, is drastically curtailed. Why Israel considers induced poverty as an effective weapon, remains to be seen. It is a strategy that has defied its purpose. Instead, it induces frustration, and weaponises the anger in the land. Palestinians are collectively emboldened, by poverty and hopelessness.

Israel’s current policy is simply brewing successive generations of stone throwers and suicide bombers, who live in desolation and see the road to their future paved with squalor and perpetual bondage. Israel needs to reverse its course to bring prosperity to Palestine, and dispel this present despair that contributes an existential threat to Israel’s security. That way, the new generation of Palestinians will be provided jobs to occupy their hands that are currently deployed for throwing stones at their “occupying masters”. Hunger and hopelessness prompt all manner of questions that could otherwise, be ignored.

Massive infrastructure development, job creation and prosperity, would undoubtedly serve as a vital catalyst to bring about some measure of peace in Palestine.

Time Solution

Ancestral attachment weakens with the passage of time. Moreover, time has a way of dampening the will to forge on. The current generation of Hamas officials and their stone throwing children, are probably the second or third generation of the Palestinians that witnessed the forced “Exodus” from Israel. The newer generation’s attachment to their ancestral land, cannot be as ferociously bonding as that of their earlier generations. The sentiment and anger that boil over in the later generations come more from their poverty condition, immediate environment and the general circumstances of deprivation they live under, than from the ejection and injustice their ancestors suffered in the hands of Israel some decades ago.

Of course, other factors are not to be undermined and taken for granted. The issue of territorial borders, is significant. In this respect, the continued acquisition of Palestinian land and expansion of settlements by the Israelis, is an albatross to any meaningful negotiation between the warring sides. The current Israeli policy of wanton destruction of lives and property at every opportunity, can yield Israel neither peace nor security.

Finally, with no formidable opposition beyond rhetoric, Israel’s massive arsenal against the Palestinians in this asymmetric conflict speaks for itself. The future seems bleak for the Palestinians. I foresee a reminiscence of the Kurdish situation, in the Middle East. Take it or leave it, the “reality on ground” is real indeed.

Felix Eghie Sugaba, Zurich, Switzerland