Reply #54: Let's hope you're wrong

[Jack Rabbit]

Were I a Palestinian voting in this election, I wouldn't vote for Abbas, but for Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, who is the kind of progressive technocrat that Palestine will need to establish social infrastructure in a post-bellum Middle East.

Abbas has other warts than those laid out here. Living in one of the poorest nations in the world, he owns two large houses, one in Gaza and the other in Ramallah. There is some question about where he acquired the wealth to maintain such a lifestyle. Contrary to the mood you are conveying, many are also suspicious that he will give away too much in a peace agreement. These Palestinian critics of Abbas see him as having more ambitions of being a Western toad than a Palestinian leader.

It is not unusual for a politician trying to manage popular perception to make remarks such as Abbas is making. However, a final peace agreement can only be made when each side marginalizes its respective extremists. There will be two states; the Islamic militants and the Yesha councils will just have to learn to like it. Abbas' recent remarks will only present him problems later, either with those with whom he must make peace or with those with whom he must sell a peace agreement in order to make it effective. It is as though an Israeli leader promises to make peace, suggests that will mean dismantling outlaying settlements and exchanging some acreage of presently Israeli land for those settlements that will be incorporated into Israel, and then tells the Yesha council what a great contribution they have make to peace and stability in the region over the last quarter of a century.

Nevertheless, Abbas will win. Whether he's the best person or not, or even a good one, he is the Palestinian leader with whom the world must deal. We can only hope that his intentions are better than his rhetoric in the past week. We can only hope that, unlike Arafat in his last years, he cares more about the Palestinian people than in retaining personal power in order to milk the PA cow. We can only hope that he will be firm enough both with the Israelis and with the extremists in the Palestinian territories to bring about a truly sovereign Palestine.

Some critical views of Abbas from the Arab press might be helpful here:

Profie: Mahmoud Abbas, Al-Jazeera, November 22
Why they love Mahmoud Abbas, Electronic Intifada, December 1