Should Palestine Declare Itself a State?
VIVA PALESTINE
By Max Fisher
November 16, 2009"The Atlantic Wire" -- The long and troubled history of
start-and-stall diplomacy between Israel and Palestine hasn't shown much
sign of improving. Some Americans even believe that, after decades of
mediating, we should disengage from the peace process entirely. Negotiations
between Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas have failed to halt the Israeli settlements still growing in
Palestinian territories, a major point of contention. But what if Palestine
simply declared itself to be an independent state? Palestinian
representatives are feeling out the UN for recognition of statehood should
they choose to proceed. They would declare Palestine's borders to be that of
1967. But could it work?
Palestinian Self-Declaration In Haaretz, prominent Israeli commentator and
politician Yossi Sarid calls this "our only chance for an end to the
occupation in our time." He explains, "Conditions were no less foggy and
circumstances were no more certain when [Israel founder David] Ben-Gurion
declared independence in 1948. But our founding father took the risk, and we
are fortunate that he did," he writes. "When he declares independence, Abbas
should call upon the Jews living in the state of Palestine to preserve the
peace and to do their part in building up the new country as full and equal
citizens, enjoying fair representation in all of its institutions. [...]
Although the American position is an unknown, it is hard to believe that
Barack Obama would agree to drag America back into isolation now that it has
begun to be part of the world again."
Wouldn't Change Anything Jerusalem Post's Haviv Rettig Gur shakes his head.
"In principle, little would change. The Palestinian Authority would have
real control over barely 40 percent of the land it hopes to gain in
negotiations, representing major Palestinian population centers in the West
Bank but little beyond that.
Meanwhile, nothing would be solved on the thorny issues that face
negotiators, such as Jerusalem, refugees, Palestinian disarmament and
borders. These would simply transform from the subject of internationally
backed (though not yet started) negotiations between Israel and the PA to
bilateral negotiations between Israel and the state of Palestine."
It's Now Or Never Juan Cole insists that the opportunity for a Palestinian
state is fading. "Since the Netanyahu government is about the least likely
government to negotiate a Palestinian state within 1967 borders you could
imagine, the Palestinians are giving up any hopes that talks will lead
anywhere. Moreover, since Netanyahu has secret plans to thousands of further
Israeli houses on Palestinian land in the next few years, time is short. If
it has not already happened, the likelihood is that a Palestinian state will
become impossible very shortly simply because the West Bank looks like Swiss
cheese because of all the Israeli colonies on it," he writes. "I would argue
that the psychological toll taken by the imposition of statelessness on a
people is more debilitating than the knowledge that some of the group has
been killed by oppressors."
Historical Precedent Truthdig's Chris Hedges puts it in context. "It worked
in Kosovo. It worked in Georgia. And it will work in Palestine. There are
192 member states in the United Nations and as many as 150 would recognize
the state of Palestine, creating a diplomatic nightmare for Israel and its
lonely ally the United States. Israel will face worldwide censure if it
attempts to crush the independent state by force and very likely be
subjected to the kind of divestment campaigns and boycotts that brought down
the apartheid government of South Africa," he writes. "The only alternative
left to most Palestinians, unless an independent state is declared, will be
endless war and an embrace of Islamic extremism."