Unity is need of the hour

As expected, Israeli elections brought the militants to the frontline expressing the attitude of the majority that was ecstatic with the genocide in Gaza. Even a wide coalition government would still be right-wing, with Ehud Barak and his Labour party resisting the idea of sharing a government formed by the right. And even if Tzipi Livni agreed to be part of a coalition, her party Kadima is just a new offshoot from Likud, so it will be back to basics in Israeli politics. Livni proved her credentials as a 'smooth militant' in the outgoing cabinet.

Her military background in the army and intelligence service is a predominant factor in formulating her attitude towards Arabs. Her Polish father Eitan Livni and mother Sara Rosenberg were prominent members of the terrorist Irgun organisation, and her father served as the chief operations officer of that Zionist organisation that massacred Palestinians and burned their villages and towns.

Benjamin Mileikowsky (now Netanyahu), who is now assigned to form the government, comes from a fanatic Lithuanian origin, and although he lived and studied in the United States, he is perceived as being more racist towards Arabs than veteran Zionists. Netanyahu has always been the perfect representative of the Likud far-right factions. Arabs tested him as a leader before, and his views about Arabs and Palestinians are well known.

Then comes the new immigrant to Palestine (only three decades ago), the racist and violent Moldovan Evet Lvovich (now Avigdor Liberman) who won a remarkable share in the last election. He leads the more fanatic Yisrael Beiteinu party and does not see Arabs, including Palestinians, as humans.

It is clear now what the next Israeli government's direction will be, especially on issues like peace with Palestinians and the Arab world. Whatever the shape of the government, there's a parliament of a majority of militant parties. No concessions are expected and more colonists will live on Palestinian land.

The ongoing killing of Palestinians, home demolition and confiscation of their land will increase. Colonists will gain more power to enhance their criminal practices against Palestinians. Ultimately, the process of negotiations to reach a just solution is, at the very least, facing obstacles if not total collapse. The Arab world placed its bets on a new American administration to play a key role in solving the main problem of the region. And now, moderate Arab parties are expressing their fear that the new Israeli government is not going to give new US President Barack Obama's team a chance to resolve the conflict. The Arab position is essentially wait-and-watch.

Some Arab and Palestinian factions are finding it adequate to blame Palestinian resistance for the Israeli election results - though Israeli positions before the election were not flexible. Blaming the anticipated difficulties the new Israeli government might cause for any expected American role is another indication of Arab indifference to their own issues.

It is not enough to stick to the rhetoric of 'launching a peace offensive' even if the other party is showing no interest in such offers and holds enough pressure cards to advance its interests at their expense.

Focusing on marginal issues is not helping at all - even the internal Palestinian differences can't be used as an excuse not to have a strong unified Arab position. That internal Palestinian dispute is just a reflection of wider Arab differences that must be bridged.

If Arabs want to settle the conflict in the region, they've to follow a proactive approach and not seek other's actions on their behalf. The Arab peace initiative of 2002 has become practically obsolete and there is a genuine need to re-visit it.

Arabs cannot wait to see how Washington and Tel Aviv are going to decide for them. They've to decide for themselves and use their bargaining chips - they've got pressure cards if political will is there - to push for what they want.

That is not confined to the main issue, the Arab-Israeli conflict, but applies to all other issues ranging from Iran to internal issues like Sudan and other hotspots.

There's an upcoming Arab summit in Doha that could provide a good opportunity to take a positive Arab stance towards all issues.

However, though glimpses of hope for an overall Arab reconciliation flash every now and then, past experience with Arab summits is not encouraging.

Dr Ahmad Mustafa is a London-based Arab writer.