IMRA Weekly Commentary..
25 July '13..
#1. Obama hurts Abbas
Everyone involved knows that Abbas could have agreed to renewed talks with his head held high if the event was marked by the release of all the pre-Oslo terrorists in a single release.
And everyone involved knows the Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu can release all of these murderers in exchange for the immediate release of Jonathan Pollard.
Add to all this: everyone involved knows that President Obama can release Pollard with literally the stroke of his pen – this when he can readily explain the move as a matter of justice, taken after due consideration of the many learned appeals for Pollard that he has received.
Instead Mahmoud Abbas finds himself "nickel and diming" with the Americans – even after Kerry's conditional announcement last Friday - as he seeks a way to join the talks without jeopardizing his own shaky future.
#2. Interim arrangement shouldn't mean interim withdrawals
Many Israeli observers are suggesting that this round of talks, if it does take place, cannot be expected to conclude with a final status agreement but instead with some interim arrangement. The withdrawal supporters, as can be expected, are already arguing that Israel will have to reward Abbas with various withdrawals in order to make the interim arrangement palatable.
Withdrawals would be a terribly shortsighted mistake as they only set the stage for more interim withdrawals another year two down the road.
There are arrangements that would be welcomed by the Palestinian street that have nothing to do with Israeli withdrawals.
+ Investments in infrastructure to expedite Palestinian movement both between Palestinian locations and transit that involves passing though Israeli areas.
+ Extension of service hours for Israeli authorities that interface with Palestinians.
+ Streamlining the procedures for Palestinian import/export through Israeli ports.
+ And if we want to do something truly radical and dramatic: assigning a terminal at Ben Gurion Airport that specifically handles traffic to and from the PA complete with an arrangement for early check in at locations in
Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus and Hebron so that Palestinians can board a shuttle service to the airport. A shuttle service, by the way, that would enable Palestinians to travel via the "Palestinian terminal" without needing a permit to be in Israel.
#3. Oversight in war-making absent in peace-making
It is hardly perfect oversight, but the members of an elite special Knesset subcommittee with top security clearance are aware of pretty much every defense related plan and operation.
In sharp contrast, there is no oversight mechanism for “peace making” activities.
And the absence of oversight can lead to a lot of mistakes – both technical and otherwise.
This is not conjecture.
For example, almost every time, in the course of Oslo, that maps were drawn in secret major, glaring errors were discovered after the fact and the fluid nature of the process made ex-post corrections possible. This may not be the case with final status maps bearing the initials of the parties.
Link: http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=61598
Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.
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