http://www.gulfnews.com/opinion/columns/region/10076356.html
Published: 10/21/2006 12:00 AM (UAE)
Illustration by Dwynn Trazo/Gulf News
Palestinian infighting is a curse
By As'ad Abdul Rahman, Special to Gulf News
When two communist parties exist in one country at the same time, then one of
them is an opportunist."
This is how Lenin, most righteously, once put it. In view of the Palestinian
status quo, one can probably rephrase this statement to read as follows: "When
two armed organisations, with two different ideologies and two opposite
policies, exist in one place at the same time, then confrontation between them
is imminent."
This remains true unless essential changes take place before such a clash.
A few days ago, I gazed at a caricature by A'wartani on the differences between
Fatah and Hamas. The artist depicted them as two cocks fighting each other
inside a cage, while the Israeli occupant was happily busy sharpening his knife
to slay both of them.
This is precisely what an Israeli political analyst had said in Yediot
Ahranoth. "Israel," she had asserted, "in a long range strategic planning, has
succeeded in pushing the Palestinians into a pit of chaos and internal fighting
through weakening of the two poles of Palestinian rivals, as well as through
economic siege and political pressure enforced on the Palestinian people,
especially in the Gaza Strip.
"At the time when Israel claims to have no axe to grind with what is taking
place in the [occupied] Palestinian territories, describing it as internal
affairs, this serious conflict originates from the Israeli policy of equally
weakening both parties, Fatah and Hamas, in such a way as no one of the two can
effectively control the Palestinian territories. The chaos and internal
Palestinian fighting are but a result of long-term Israeli planning."
We, Palestinians and Arabs, have heard so many statements regarding a possible
Palestinian civil war, with a strong internal wish to absolutely believe that
such a war is taboo and a transgression of our sacred principles.
However, why and how should we be different from other nations that descended
into civil war whenever the causes were?
Painful as it is, we, unfortunately, do have sufficient reasons to be driven
into a civil war despite all the inhibitive deterrents that still prevent, or
at least postpone, its occurrence. However, an absolute deterrent, or a
guarantee, is certainly absent.
Based on this, we sincerely believe all slogans in praise of "the sacred
Palestinian unity", and consider the civil war a taboo that no one dares come
near.
Did it not actually happen in the far as well as near past, in fact a few days
ago? Can we really believe that Palestinian blood is a "red line", when there
are two ideologically and politically different and armed organisations, both
insisting on keeping their arms? This is to say nothing of the international
and regional pressures that are being put on both parties in favour of such a
confrontation.
No guarantees
All this is likely to provide the spark that will detonate the dynamite build
up caused by this situation. Indeed, the "guarantee" lies (a) in the collective
Palestinian awareness that refuses Palestinian infighting, and (b) in the
rationality that the leaders of both parities should have. These two
guarantees, frankly, are not absolutely certain.
True, until now, both conditions have been effective and may remain so for a
while, irrespective, so far, of the casualties on both sides. Still it is
certain that an absolute guarantee, based on the aforementioned conditions, for
the negation of widescale fighting is not there.
For what will prevent a civil war if the general populace expressing the
Palestinian conscience is kept marginal, and if the discretion on part of one
or both of the two major parties is absent? What will prevent such a war if the
external parties pushing for the fight get the upper hand?
The seeds of the crisis and the factors of contradiction are, therefore, there.
They only need effort and rationality on behalf of the leaderships, in addition
to revival of the collective memory of our people, to prevent an explosion.
Rationality, however, is not a permanent state. One side may have it; both
together might not. "Thanks" also to external pressures! As a result of this,
it becomes seriously dangerous to relax at the idea that "a civil war is a
taboo . and will never happen".
With the continuous failure to accept the "Arab initiative", eruption of a
civil war is becoming more and more likely. In this case, Palestinian blood
will not remain a red line.
The two organisations should discern that the way out of this crisis is not
possible with a kind of Palestinian vs Palestinian "monologue" that may fill us
with "political ecstasy", without offering a "political solution".
What is needed is a political "dialogue" with the intention of saving the
Palestinian cause by bringing it back to the status of being a national issue,
and not a matter of livelihood demands or an attempt to control the security
services.
In view of this debasement of the image of the Palestinian cause, there is no
other choice but a form of "national unity" that seeks the support of the
outside world and accommodates its demands, as we do not live in an excluded
island.
Professor As'ad Abdul Rahman is the Chairman of the Palestinian Encyclopedia.
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