United States Promises to Block Palestinian State; Europe Is Divided

The president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, lit a fuse that blew the mask of the Western powers to pieces. President Abbas announced that a day before Sept. 23, during the [61st session of the] General Assembly, he will ask the United Nations to recognize Palestine as its own state with full rights.

As Israel’s unconditional ally, the United States has done nothing since President Obama came to power to facilitate the peace process. Obama has quickly displayed a counterproductive approach to the initiative proposed by President Abbas, while the European foreign minister, the outrageous and incompetent Catherine Ashton, defended a “constructive solution” leading to the resumption of negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

The formula of the European Commissioner is one of calamitous cynicism. Despite 18 years of negotiations, the process has not resulted in a single tangible agreement. The Europeans, lucid in their speech but immobile at the time to act, have not been able to influence a single Israeli administration, while Washington has been unable to get Israel to agree to the slightest concession in order to move forward.

The proclamation of a Palestinian state would finally put an end to the futile regime of negotiation set up by the Oslo Accords. On the other hand, the movement of Mahmoud Abbas has no outlet since the United States exercised its veto power in the Security Council. Palestine then will not become state number 194 of the United Nations. The most they will be able to get is a status similar to that of the Vatican.

However, the decision of the president of the Palestinian Authority is even more emblematic because it occurs at precisely the same moment that the Arab countries are experiencing an intense revolution. It seems inconsistent for the United States and the European Union to oppose a Palestinian state or to keep supporting Israel unconditionally while at the same time, although late, promoting the Arab Spring. Their cynicism is always evident, especially when it is time to take a stand.

Mahmoud Abbas ignored the constant recommendations of the North American emissaries, the European Union and the harmless Middle East Quartet (the United States, Russia, European Union and the United Nations). Even though the talks have fallen apart, the Old Continent insists on saying that the European Union will redouble its efforts to resume the negotiations between the parties as soon as possible. According to Ashton, this is the only way to put an end to the conflict.

As with other great, crucial conflicts in international politics, the countries of the European Union are extremely divided on the issue. Italy, Czech Republic, Holland and Poland are hostile to the creation of a Palestinian state recognized by the United Nations. Germany does not agree with the idea, although to a lesser extent. The rest of the countries of the European Union tend to favor it, but they know that a Palestinian initiative could cause divisions in the group. Paris affirmed that it will assume its responsibilities; it stated that the French position is guided by the triple concern of preserving the prospect of reviving negotiations, avoiding diplomatic confrontation and maintaining European unity. The three simultaneous aspirations seem impossible today.

The spokesperson for the U.S. Department of the State, Mark Toner, felt that the proclamation of a Palestinian state would not lead to the desired goal, namely, the existence of two states living in peace and harmony. Washington and the Europeans call for a “complete” agreement, but this perspective evaporated with the building of an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

Mahmoud Abbas’ position was also not comforting. Since last May, he has not been able to form an actual unified government, his mandate has already expired and the Palestinian territory of Gaza is still more divided than ever within their own administrations, the Hamas Fundamentalists and the PLO. When he announced that he would speak to the United Nations on Sept. 23, Abbas maintained intact the historical claims of the PLO: a Palestinian state within the borders of the 1948 armistice, a state with East Jerusalem as the capital, the return of refugees and complete sovereignty.

The actions of the Obama administration with respect to the Palestinian crisis have been a complete failure. Obama raised enormous hopes, when he was elected a little over two years ago, with the speech he gave in Cairo in June 2009. At that time, he said, “The situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable.” But until now, he has been unable to stop Israel from continuing to construct settlements in the West Bank.