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More work at the international level

Aug 09,2018 - Last updated at Aug 09,2018

It goes without saying that the Palestinian cause has been facing unprecedented challenges for some time now.

For nearly two decades, Israel has been doing its best not only to evade an equitable peace settlement with the Palestinians, but to bury the matter of peace altogether.

The recent Israeli parliament's passing of a law declaring Israel to be a Jewish state, which undermines the status of Israeli Arabs and others, and posits Israel as an apartheid state, adds insult to injury.

The current American position on Palestine is no better. While several American administrations showed genuine interest and sought to achieve peace at several key intervals in the past, and while they manifested increasing awareness of the plight of Palestinians, the current American administration has a reversed course that is oblivious to Palestinian rights and is siding entirely with Israel.

From the few leaks that have transpired regarding the Trump administration's so-called deal of the century, the administration seems to be bent on ending the two-state solution and undermining the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state. And it seems to be bent on realising the Zionist dream of a "greater Israel", which is a nightmare to the Palestinians and to all those who believe in justice and peace.

What should, or could, the Palestinians do?

They could do a lot, for just as there are so many unprecedented challenges, there are opportunities also.

So far, the Palestinians have been steadfast. While Israel has reneged on peace agreements, halted peace negotiations, continued with its illegal settlements policies and oppressive measures against Palestinians; the Palestinians have remained faithful to peace, and insistent on full restoration of their rights and the establishment of their state on all Palestinian territories.

They have also stood firm in the face of the Trump administration's pressure and blackmail.

This is extremely important as the Palestinians are the major counterpart to Israel and the major party directly concerned with any peace settlement, without whose consent no peace settlement, good or bad, can pass.

The Palestinians are in a stronger position than many would have them or us believe.

Therefore, Israel and America may think what they think, and do what they do, and if the Palestinians are not on board, there can be no deal, no matter what such a deal is called by its engineers.

But there are also other things that the Palestinians can do. Working with good friends and supporters in both the Arab world and internationally, the Palestinians can move to pursue further international recognition and presence.

The US is a superpower and a key player, to be sure, and one would have wished its position to be more sober and balanced. Nevertheless, there are many key players in the globe, who are more committed to justice and peace, and more sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians, whose position is important.

The Palestinians can work closely with these partners to push for more recognition both of their cause and their state.

The recognition by Colombia a few days ago of the Palestinian state is only an example of the opportunities that exist for Palestinians, and the kind of work they need to do in order to cement their presence and garner support both from key states in the world, as well as key international organisations.

Much needs to be done at this end.

So, while the Israelis and the Americans are too busy trying to bluff the Palestinians and the Arabs, endangering peace in Palestine and the region as never before, the Palestinians and their Arab and international supporters should be busy trying to further the Palestinian cause and peace in the region at the international stage.

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