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A Palestinian initiative

As Israel tries to drum up international support for its plan to withdraw unilaterally from the occupied territories, the Palestinians have begun to rework their strategy. Second- rung leaders of Fatah and Hamas, who are in the custody of the Zionist state, took the initiative by jointly drafting an 18-point document. It contains proposals for re-establishing unity within Palestinian ranks; sets the guidelines for waging resistance; and outlines the objectives to be pursued in negotiations. The document has stirred an intense debate within the occupied territories. While Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has adopted the set of proposals, Prime Minister Ismail Haniya and other senior Hamas members strongly disapprove. The document does not state unequivocally that a "two-State" solution should be the goal of the negotiations. However, much can be read into the prescription that Palestinians must continue to "resist Israeli occupation of lands captured in 1967 (West Bank and Gaza)." In effect, this is an acknowledgment that militant activity should not be conducted for any other purpose. It is therefore a repudiation of the Hamas thesis that resistance should continue so long as any part of the Palestinian patrimony is under occupation, that the fight must go on until Israel ceases to exist. The Hamas detenus might have subsequently backtracked a bit but they appear to have done so mainly to show their resentment at Mr. Abbas's attempt to pressure Mr. Haniya and other holdouts.

With public opinion polls showing an overwhelming majority of Palestinians to be in favour of the "prisoners' document," Mr. Abbas initiated talks with the Hamas leaders in an effort to change their minds. With the talks making little headway, the Palestinian President announced he would hold a referendum on the issue. The Hamas government was already in trouble because of its failure to fulfil poll promises. Given the prospect of the people rejecting its thesis, Hamas has cited a constitutional principle to contend that a referendum will undermine the mandate given to it in the parliamentary election. Hamas is not without options. It could boycott the referendum or pass laws to annul the vote. However, this Islamist movement would do well to do an in-depth analysis of its long-held position. The "two-State" solution has solid international support and the current embargo on financial assistance is not likely to be lifted until the Hamas government comes round. However, a tipping point can be reached only if Israel is made to abandon its unilateralist approach. While the so-called international community has been far from even-handed in its approach, it has not endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's plans for a unilateral withdrawal. For a start, Israel should recognise that a majority of Palestinians do not reject its right to exist.

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