Palestine's New President: Portents of Peace?
The times, they are a'changin' in the Middle East. And there's reason to believe for the better.
In an election with five presidential candidates, Mahmoud Abbas is the clear winner with 66% of the popular vote.
While Abbas campaigned on former leader Yassar Arafat's call for a fully independent, internationally recognized Palestine, he appears genuinely more committed than Arafat to meaningful negotiations with Israel. More to the point, he has denounced terrorism and violence as a means to achieving nationhood, if only for pragmatic reasons.
"The only way is the choice of peace," he said in a recent newspaper interview. "It is impossible to liberate Palestine with the use of weapons because the balance of power is not with us.
"We will put the road map on the table and say that we are ready to implement it completely," Abbas said, referring to the U.S.-backed peace plan.
According to the Palestinian policy center's director, Khalil Shekakihe, the clear majority vote means that Abbas "will have the legitimacy to negotiate with the Israelis, and the Palestinian people will accept what Abu Mazen will agree on. He has a mandate from the voters."
Of course it is too early to say if Abbas will make the dramatic shift in Palestinian-Israeli relations that many are hoping (and praying) for, but there is significant reason to hope. Western nations have been favourable to Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appears ready to talk.
The election, in and of itself, has been well-received.
"From now on," said 73 year-old farmer Ahmad Darawish, "Arab peoples around us need not learn democracy from the west. They can learn it from us."
"You people here," Khaldun al-Nasir, head of Jordan's nationalist centre-right Al-Ahad Party, told Aljazeera, "are practising democracy under the most difficult conditions because of the repugnant Israeli occupation. This in itself should earn you the admiration and respect of the entire world."
"Nobody can belittle this election. In time all Arabs will learn from you and democracy will spread eventually, maybe slowly but definitely."
But some locals are more skeptical.
"I am not against democracy," said construction worker Ali Hijjah. "The Arab world needs democracy, but this election under the Israeli occupation is like placing the carriage before the horse."
Well, at least it's a start. It's your turn now, Mr. Abbas. For God's sake, please do what your predecessor couldn't. Or wouldn't.
* * * * *
Related articles:
Palestinians Choose Successor to Arafat (Globe & Mail - Jan 9.05)
Democracy Reaches West Bank: Abbas Wins 66 Percent of Vote (FOXNews - Jan 9.05)
Exit Polls: Abbas Headed for Big Victory (Aljazeera - Jan 9.05)
Elections Open Gate of Change (The Australian - Jan 10.05)
Who Is Mahmoud Abbas? (CNN - Jan 7.05)
In an election with five presidential candidates, Mahmoud Abbas is the clear winner with 66% of the popular vote.
While Abbas campaigned on former leader Yassar Arafat's call for a fully independent, internationally recognized Palestine, he appears genuinely more committed than Arafat to meaningful negotiations with Israel. More to the point, he has denounced terrorism and violence as a means to achieving nationhood, if only for pragmatic reasons.
"The only way is the choice of peace," he said in a recent newspaper interview. "It is impossible to liberate Palestine with the use of weapons because the balance of power is not with us.
"We will put the road map on the table and say that we are ready to implement it completely," Abbas said, referring to the U.S.-backed peace plan.
According to the Palestinian policy center's director, Khalil Shekakihe, the clear majority vote means that Abbas "will have the legitimacy to negotiate with the Israelis, and the Palestinian people will accept what Abu Mazen will agree on. He has a mandate from the voters."
Of course it is too early to say if Abbas will make the dramatic shift in Palestinian-Israeli relations that many are hoping (and praying) for, but there is significant reason to hope. Western nations have been favourable to Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appears ready to talk.
The election, in and of itself, has been well-received.
"From now on," said 73 year-old farmer Ahmad Darawish, "Arab peoples around us need not learn democracy from the west. They can learn it from us."
"You people here," Khaldun al-Nasir, head of Jordan's nationalist centre-right Al-Ahad Party, told Aljazeera, "are practising democracy under the most difficult conditions because of the repugnant Israeli occupation. This in itself should earn you the admiration and respect of the entire world."
"Nobody can belittle this election. In time all Arabs will learn from you and democracy will spread eventually, maybe slowly but definitely."
But some locals are more skeptical.
"I am not against democracy," said construction worker Ali Hijjah. "The Arab world needs democracy, but this election under the Israeli occupation is like placing the carriage before the horse."
Well, at least it's a start. It's your turn now, Mr. Abbas. For God's sake, please do what your predecessor couldn't. Or wouldn't.
* * * * *
Related articles:
Palestinians Choose Successor to Arafat (Globe & Mail - Jan 9.05)
Democracy Reaches West Bank: Abbas Wins 66 Percent of Vote (FOXNews - Jan 9.05)
Exit Polls: Abbas Headed for Big Victory (Aljazeera - Jan 9.05)
Elections Open Gate of Change (The Australian - Jan 10.05)
Who Is Mahmoud Abbas? (CNN - Jan 7.05)
posted by Paul Donnett at 1:39 PM
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