It is encouraging that the world, the European Union in particular, has finally recognised that the Palestinian question is central to addressing not just peace in the Middle East but also globally. Recognising the State of Palestine, even through symbolic votes, means that governments in Europe realise that ending the Israeli occupation is probably the key to any process aimed at sorting out the messy conditions in this part of the world.
The European steps taken recently remind us of the Madrid Conference for the Middle East peace process in 1991. The conference, led by the United States and the former Soviet Union, gave the region high hopes of achieving a just and lasting peace by ending the Israeli occupation and establishing the long-awaited independent state of Palestine based on United Nations resolutions.
The expectations were high. The Palestinians trusted the declared intentions, which led the late Yasser Arafat to enter into bilateral negotiations with the Israelis and, three years later, in 1994, sign the Oslo Accords.
Twenty years later, we are back to square one. Many actually say the situation in the Occupied Territories is worse than it was in 1991. The subsequent Israeli governments have all gone into colonisation drives in the West Bank, including the occupied capital of Palestine, Jerusalem. Those projects have eaten up most of the occupied lands, and it has become, according to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, “some kind of a joke” to talk about a Palestinian state without completely rolling back the Jewish colony projects — starting from the June 4, 1967, as per the UN resolutions.
Therefore, while the intentions may be on the right side of history, the last thing the region needs is another false hope. We don’t need another conference.
The Palestinian question is clearly defined. The occupation must end. The people have the right to determine their destiny. The UN resolutions are very clear. What is needed is an international plan to implement those resolutions. It is not that complicated, is it?
