The Peace Process Is Dead

PA Official: Peace Process Dead

Senior official close to Abbas says given expected Israeli government, no serious progress can be made toward agreement on two-state solution

By Ali Waked
February 24, 2009
Courtesy of Y Net News

Israel's impending new government indicates that the peace process "has died," a senior Palestinian Authority official told Ynet on Tuesday.

"Given the government that is going to lead Israel, it's clear that there won't be any serious process and that, at the most, it will be a process for appearances' sake only that is intended to quiet the international community and primarily to let the Palestinians know that the option of peace still exists," he said.

According to the official, the Palestinians understand that the Oslo process no longer exists. Those close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas don't think there is any way to salvage it.

"People are thinking of how to prevent the PA from humiliating itself in a process that is not serious and will not bring peace. More and more voices are saying that the Palestinian Authority and Abbas must strike preemptively and dismantle the Palestinian Authority," he said.

The official added that Abbas' advisors, including those who truly believe in peace and in the diplomatic process, understand that this process is over and there is no chance of a political agreement in the near future that will result in a Palestinian state.

Even during the last administration Palestinians didn't believe an agreement could be reached, he said, "but at least we could believe in the concept of a political process." Now, however, "even this has ceased."

"This is an extremist government that, in the best case, won't go crazy building settlements and won't escalate the security situation but will not bring about political progress during the upcoming period. That is why we need to prepare ourselves to mitigate the damages so that the idea of a two-state solution won't sustain a fatal blow in comparison to the approach of 'all or nothing' or the concept of a binational state," he added.

The peace process has entered a phase of 'clinical death', the source said, adding that the expected Israeli government will be one embodied by political paralysis. Efforts are being made by the PA to prevent deterioration in the field.

The source expressed hope that economic situation would still be salvageable, stating his desire for the international community to continue funding and establishing projects that would encourage Palestinians not to despair and to hold out for a change in Israeli government.