Arab Perspective: Truce stalled at the midway mark

With the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Abu Shanab by Israel last week, the future of the peace process has been thrown into doubt. In particular, the armistice, which had been observed by different Palestinian factions, will come to an end. Dr. Marwan Asmar of Gulf News Research Centre reviews what the Arabic press has to say

Writing in the Al Watan (Oman), Mohammed Naji Amairah, says the situation has become explosive again, after the armistice observed by some Palestinian factions lasted only two months. They had agreed to this cease-fire only to give the Palestinian Authority a chance to arrive at a meaningful peace agreement with Israel.

Amairah adds that complete disaster will follow unless both parties - the Palestinians and Israelis - get together to save the situation after the murder of Abu Shanab in Gaza. However, the response to the killing is likely to be strong because Israel continued targeting activists and destroying Palestinian areas all through the armistice.

Palestinian resistance and Israeli terrorism are in a race to outdo each other, while those seeking a political settlement also realise if they don't succeed, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Washington is pressuring the Palestinian Authority to control Hamas and Islamic Jihad from responding militarily to the murder of Abu Shanab. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has called on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to help Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) deal with these groups, despite the fact that the Bush administration has spent months trying to sideline Arafat, with the help of Israel.

In addition, there are several Arab initiatives, especially Egyptian, to revive the armistice. But the beleaguered Arafat may emerge the only winner in all this if he regains his influence in Palestinian politics.

However, the Palestinian people are in no mood to return to the armistice, as evidenced by the 100,000 Palestinians who turned up for Abu Shanab's funeral.

The murder of Abu Shanab by the Israeli occupation forces has destroyed any hope of restarting the peace process, points out Al Jazirah (Saudi Arabia) in its editorial. After two months of calm in the Palestinian territories, the latest murder of a Hamas leader who commanded the respect of all the different Palestinian factions, will open another cycle of blood-letting.

Abu Shanab represented Hamas' moderate trend. In addition to his leading role, he was a prominent figure in the Palestinian trade union movement, as well as an academic who was strongly connected to the community. With this background, he led the doves of the Hamas movement, and was also a flexible negotiator and a good listener who maintained his calm while gaining the respect of the other side.

Al Jazirah says his murder has shocked all those interested in the Palestinian-Israeli struggle. His death is being interpreted as a predetermined blow to the peace process, and part of an effort to end the armistice. The Palestinian factions had held to the armistice for over 50 days, despite a lot of Israeli provocation that tried to drag the Palestinian resistance into confrontation.

However, the killing of such a high-level political leader will force a response similar to the Israeli violations. This time the response will not be only from Hamas or Islamic Jihad but from all the Palestinian factions. Nobody can blame them this time, as Israel has crossed all limits.

The killing has effectively forced the Palestinians to return to the armed struggle. The armistice has collapsed, which was expected right from the day it was announced, writes Hussam Kanafani in Al Khaleej (UAE).

This was because the armistice was not under any international supervision and nor were there any inspectors to monitor what was happening on the ground. The armistice only offered a breathing space for the Palestinian and Israeli sides, says Kanafani.

With the end of the period of "no peace, no war", today the Palestinian people are bracing themselves for another round of massacres, imprisonment and forced exile by Israel.

But despite the daily incursions into Palestinian territories by Israel, accompanied by killing and wanton destruction, Kanafani adds that an armistice is needed.

As shown by one poll, the majority of Palestinians want a cease-fire and a return to the negotiating table, something that will lengthen the period of relative calm. They need these periods so they can regain their hope and live in relative security to build their economy and society.

The majority of Palestinians do not want a return to the circle of daily killing of sons, husbands, relatives, and friends. They want an armistice that will last.