Palestinians relieved by Baghdad deal
Palestine, Politics, 2/23/1998

The bright sunny day over Jericho made things appear more promising. At his office in the ministry of local government, chief Palestinian negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat, listened to the latest news coming from Baghdad on the signing of the agreement between Iraqi deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. He looked very relieved.

For Erekat, not only has a destructive attack on Iraq been put off for the time being, but a fatal blow to the peace process was also averted. "Today, I hope international focus returns to the Arab-Israeli conflict and to the need to implement the interim agreements between the Palestinians and Israel," said Erekat shortly before he met Israeli cabinet secretary Dany Naveh. After the meeting, Erekat said no breakthrough was achieved because further meetings are needed.

"What matters is not how many times we sit down and negotiate with the Israelis but how sincere is the Israeli government in its quest for peace with the Palestinians," said Erekat. He disclosed that another meeting was set for Tuesday in which Palestinian, Israeli and US officials will participate to discuss ways to push the peace process forward. The Erekat-Naveh meeting dealt with a number of outstanding issues that were supposed to be finalized within the context of the implementation of the interim agreements, such as safe passage between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Gaza International Airport and the industrial zone between Gaza and Israel. Monday's meeting followed a meeting held last week at the house of the US Ambassador to Israel, Ed Walker, in Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv.

For Palestinians in the street, the feeling of relief was even greater. They still believe that Iraq, despite its very difficult situation today, can play a major role in the Arab-Israeli conflict, mainly if Israel fails to honor its agreements with the Arabs and leads the region towards a new confrontation. But on a day-to-day basis, the average Palestinian finds it easier to simply avoid further clashes with the Palestinian government, which banned pro-Iraqi demonstrations in its areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The latest wave of demonstrations in support for Iraq and condemning the US and Israel had caused a diplomatic embarrassment to the Palestinians government which on one hand sympathizes with the hardships of the Iraqi people yet, on the other, tried to distance itself from President Saddam Hussein. The Palestinian police forces were given instructions to prevent violent demonstrations in which angry Palestinians set fire to US and Israeli flags.

But the implementation of those strict orders could have cost the PNA a dire price, similar to that suffered in Jordan where a Jordanian demonstrator was shot dead during clashes in the southern city of Maan a few days ago. For the PNA, the last thing it wanted to happen is a pro-Iraqi demonstrator being shot dead by Palestinian troops. Luckily for the PNA, a deal was reached and a military strike on Baghdad has apparently been averted.

It doesn't take a military or a political expert to gauge who won and who lost in the latest standoff in the Gulf. For most of the Palestinians, and to some Israelis as well, Saddam Hussein emerged victorious in the latest showdown. His chances of easing the sanctions imposed on Iraq seven years ago are greater today that ever before. The fact that he managed to maneuver his way through contacts with superpowers in the world and succeeded in torpedoing a near-certain US military attack on Iraq has gained him additional points against the US Administration. He is also seen as the Arab leader who imposed a state of panic on Israel for the second time since 1991.

Observers in the Palestinian areas and in Israel believe that it wasn't only Saddam Hussein who won out of the latest impasse but also UN Secretary-General. Kofi Annan has seemingly managed to restore UN supremacy in resolving international conflicts, and has as such minimized the US role in the Gulf. Today, said one observer in Ramallah, the UN is stronger that ever before and it should take the lead in solving other conflicts in the world, foremost of which is the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The observer did not hide his joy at seeing Benjamin Netanyahu's government in a weakened position after the tension in the Gulf is defused. He noted that Israel over the past few weeks appeared vulnerable to an Arab threat and this in itself has helped in damaging its deterrence capacity as allegedly being the only regional superpower in the Middle East. The Israeli pubic, he noted, appeared very pressured and frightened. "They simply lived through a war that wasn't and will apparently live through a war that may or may not be," he said.

The Palestinians welcome the agreement reached in Iraq. Saeb Erekat says the Palestinians hope US attention will refocus on Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Erekat claims that Israel used the Gulf crisis to carry out unilateral steps, such as land appropriations and establishing settlements.

Previous Stories:
  Palestinian-Israeli talks: Fake impression of business as usual   (2/19/1998)
  Erekat: Iraqi crisis shifts attention from M.E. negotiations   (2/13/1998)
  Albright fails to move forward, but keeps the ball in play   (2/2/1998)

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