"Real Reform"

Bill Herbert wants to know why Dennis Ross isn't our Secretary of State. And he's got video of yesterday's presentation by Ross and Charles Krauthammer at the American Bar Association annual meeting meeting in Washington, D.C. They were discussing the role of mediation in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Ross gave a good talk, as did Krauthammer. It's a pity there were only about 20 people in the room (as the camera's periodic panning during the C-Span broadcast made abundantly clear).

Ross would certainly be a welcome addition to the State Department from my perspective, but he'd be unlikely to fit in well. And in spite of all the much-needed clarity he's been able to bring to the actual facts behind the breakdown of the Camp David peace talks, he remains a little starry-eyed on the prospects for the future. In his speech to the ABA, he made repeated and enthusiastic reference to the readiness of "most" palestinians for reform. But what kind of reform, and who are these palestinians? Ross didn't want to name names, but it seems unlikely that the people he's been talking to are really in a position to effect the kind of change they profess to desire. Here's are some telling excerpts from a Fateh Online "Editorial" on "Introducing Real Reform":

...Israel and the US Administration have identical views regarding the required changes in the Palestinian political system and in the Palestinian leadership. The European Union (EU) and some of the Arab countries look forward to a change that satisfies the Palestinian ambitions; a change that is based on self-reform rather than an Afghani type of change.

...The Intifada broke out to strengthen adherence to the basic principles. The Israeli military escalation against the peaceful demonstrations was meant to break the will of the Palestinian people so as to impose the Israeli plans. The fact that we did not succumb to their plots made Israel and the US Administration insist on a change that is based on the following:...a. To end the Intifada as a form of resistance; b. To reorganize the security apparatus in a way to ensure the protection of the Zionist entity and to carry out Tenet’s recommendations. These are 1) apprehending Palestinian freedom fighters according to lists prepared by the Israeli security forces, 2) destroying the infrastructure of resistance, and 3) collecting arms used against the occupation to be handed over to the US.

....Since the PLO’s Executive Committee represents the central government of the Palestinian people, Fateh believes that the Committee should activate its role. It should involve its departments in the process of mobilizing our people in the Diaspora to participate in strengthening our steadfastness and in escalating the confrontation.

....The Central Committee has realized the importance of moving forward in all areas of development, but a major undertaking should be the encountering of hostile ideas about reform. The change called for aims to impose Israeli diktat after destroying the revolutionary infrastructure of our movement.

The nature of the reform we in the movement are looking forward to requires scrutinizing all aspects of the current situation to avoid at least the evils embodied in the Israeli and US allegations regarding reform. In putting our house in order, however, we need to place the right person in the right place.

Revolution until victory.

Doesn't sound like cause for a great deal of optimism.