Red carpet at the White House for Mahmoud Abbas, Gulf News

Opinion, July 2003, www.aljazeerah.info

Red carpet at the White House for Mahmoud Abbas

Gulf News
| | 27-07-2003

Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas may feel pleased with his visit to the White House. He was given the "red carpet" treatment, having received prior to his visit a direct donation from the Bush administration of $20 million. American President George W. Bush let it be known in no uncertain terms that he believes Abbas to be a leader of "vision and courage and determination" and thus is prepared to support Abbas - verbally, that is. Yet Bush has obviously forgotten that actions speak louder than words, and thus far, there has been precious little action to support the Palestinian line.

With the Bush platitudes still ringing in his ears, Abbas must feel he has accomplished something, but the question is: What? On the issue of freeing over 6,000 prisoners being held in custody by the Israelis, Bush's only recorded remark was that he would not want to see Palestinians released if they had been involved in the killing of Israelis.

That can hardly be interpreted by the Israeli government, who hang on every word coming from Bush, as censure and a demand to release prisoners quickly. So it will not be done quickly, but in the time and choosing of the Israeli government.

Bush has also described Israel's West Bank security fence as "a problem" - a major understatement that only sets him up for ridicule in the eyes of Palestinians and Arabs. So despite the glad-handing at the White House, Abbas may find on his return to Palestine his colleagues - and the Palestinian public - demanding to know what he has achieved. If the answer is "precious little" as it appears to be, then it will do nothing to counter accusations made against him that he is "America's (and Israel's) man." A sobriquet he should be anxious to be rid of.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).