DAWN
Published October 3, 2023
IT appears to be only a matter of time before a normalisation deal is announced between Saudi Arabia and Israel. While significant questions remain unanswered, specifically about the fate of the two-state solution, signals from all major stakeholders — Riyadh, Tel Aviv and Washington — indicate a deal is on the horizon. The recent statement by White House spokesman John Kirby that the “basic framework” of the plan was ready only strengthens claims by Saudi and Israeli leaders that normalisation is at hand. While the Saudis have long said they stand by the two-state solution, the commitment to this goal may be diluted in order to make peace with Tel Aviv. For example, the Palestinians may be given cosmetic guarantees that their quest for statehood will be supported in order to make the ‘mega-deal’ a reality. The truth is that the Israelis are unlikely to make any major concessions for peace, specifically where the right of return and ending illegal settlements are concerned This ‘mega-deal’ is simply a bilateral understanding between Riyadh and Tel Aviv blessed by Washington; the Palestinians are but an irritating detail. Moreover, even if the Palestinian Authority is won over by the Saudis with promises of funds and support, this does not mean the Palestinians will accept the bartering away of their historical homeland. After all, the PA is widely seen as corrupt and inefficient, in fact, an extension of the repressive Israeli occupation. And without Hamas, which rules Gaza, on board, the deal cannot be seen to have full Palestinian support.
Just as Oslo and the so-called Abraham Accords have failed to end the brutal Israeli occupation and pave the way for a viable Palestinian state, the Saudi-Israeli normalisation, too, won’t achieve anything. If the deal goes through, many Arab and Muslim states will shed their inhibitions and extend a hand of friendship towards Tel Aviv. Never mind the fact that extremist ministers within the current Israeli cabinet have talked about “wiping out” Palestinian towns and have refused to give up an inch of illegal settlements. The Arab and Muslim worlds will have to decide which side they are on: will they stand by the oppressed and call for the end of the Israeli occupation? Or will they choose the path of realpolitik, and sue for illusory peace with an apartheid state?
Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2023
Just as Oslo and the so-called Abraham Accords have failed to end the brutal Israeli occupation and pave the way for a viable Palestinian state, the Saudi-Israeli normalisation, too, won’t achieve anything. If the deal goes through, many Arab and Muslim states will shed their inhibitions and extend a hand of friendship towards Tel Aviv. Never mind the fact that extremist ministers within the current Israeli cabinet have talked about “wiping out” Palestinian towns and have refused to give up an inch of illegal settlements. The Arab and Muslim worlds will have to decide which side they are on: will they stand by the oppressed and call for the end of the Israeli occupation? Or will they choose the path of realpolitik, and sue for illusory peace with an apartheid state?
Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2023
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