Israeli Disengagement: An Alternative to Peace?
by Krystle Kaul

The Israelis have opted for disengagement, but what does this mean for the Palestinians? Recent developments have altered Israel's security concerns. The wall, or the security fence, has unilaterally enhanced security for the Israelis by significantly decreasing the number of suicide bombings, but has come at a great cost to the Palestinians; in addition to annexing large portions of their land, it has divided families and disrupted their agriculture.

While the Israelis claim that the wall was not intended to demarcate a political boundary of a permanent nature, but rather act as a temporary defensive measure, it is difficult to substantiate this claim. The problem is that the construction of the wall complicates the implementation of the Road Map which is currently the only proposal still on the table possessing support from the international sponsors of an Israeli-Palestinian solution. Avi Issachar of, Israeli reporter on Arab Affairs for the Israel Broadcasting Authority, echoing what many Israelis believe, decried terrorism stating, How many children are we going to give to the Palestinians? He added that Israel is willing to give more than just Gaza to stop terrorist activity, and that the Israelis have no desire to govern Arab populations. Mr. Issacharof voiced support for Sharon's unilateral decisions with his sentiment that Palestine needs to reform and renounce violence, not Israel.

Moreover, Sharon's recent decision to resign from the Likud and to create his own party, Kadima (Forward), is not expected to make him any less hawkish on fundamental issues like Jerusalem and the cessation of settlement expansions in the suburbs. The question now is: What will the anticipated victory of Sharon in the upcoming elections mean for the fate of the Palestinians? It appears that if Palestinians want to bring the Israelis to the negotiating table with the desire to reach a mutually agreed upon settlement, they must first reform their infrastructure and forge unity within their own ranks.

Palestinians have become paralyzed by dwelling on the notion that Israel is the root cause of all violence and despair in the region. Dr. Hanna Siniora, Co-CEO of the Israeli Palestinian Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) a balanced think-tank composed of an equal number of Israelis and Palestinians reiterated this in response to a question regarding the large numbers of Palestinians who appear to support terrorist acts. He answered that, Palestinians are not mentally healthy after thirty eight years of the fighting and conflict which has diffused utter desperation throughout the OccupiedTerritories.

While the Israeli withdrawl from Gaza is a moderate victory for the Palestinians, conditions there remain deplorable. Currently, 60% of Gaza is unemployed and the borders are closed, with the exception of the Rafaa crossing to Egypt which has recently come under PA control. Nonetheless, the Palestinians still face the challenge of feeding the 1.3 million people who remain within the Gaza strip. It is hard to know where to start. First, and foremost, Mahmoud Abbas needs to mount an effective war on the rampant corruption within the PA. Second, they need to establish full control over the Gaza strip. Third, they should establish a firm foundation of all institutions necessary for a viable state. And finally, they must begin providing reliable services to citizens, especially education and healthcare. Palestinian Affairs correspondent for the Jerusalem Post, Khaled abu Toameh, angrily summed up some of the PA's shortcomings, declaring, More Palestinians are killed by Palestinians than by Israelis. Mr. Toameh echoed a growing consensus among Palestinians that the PA should first help its citizens and stabilize its government before seeking to negotiate with Israel.

Palestine is running out of options and should, therefore, capitalize on Israel's disengagement plan and focus on domestic concerns. The political situation facing Mahmoud Abbas remains daunting as he confronts the issue of how to bring a popular and well-armed Hamas faction under the control of the central government (and Israel's policy of hunting down Hamas leaders themselves undermines Abbas). International intervention is crucial to provide Palestine the monetary aid and development assistance it needs to stabilize the Territories. It is also international attention that can keep the Israelis at the bargaining table, but in the short-run, the onus rests on the Palestinians to strive for stability and improve the living conditions of its citizens before fixing their gaze on the final status of a peaceful resolution.