The Mission of George Mitchell - Palestine and Israel

Out of Gaza's rubble, new dialogue is emerging between Hamas and Israel – for any hope of peace, the US needs to pay attention


* Geoffrey Aronson
*
o Geoffrey Aronson
o guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 18 February 2009 11.00 GMT


Israel's assault on Gaza has opened a new chapter in the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. It is yet another signal that the focus of the Israel‑Palestine conflict is now urgently focused on the Gaza Strip and, more broadly, on relations between Israel and Hamas.

The election of Barack Obama offers the international community the opportunity for some new thinking about how to re-energise its commitment to end the occupation and create a sovereign, independent Palestine at peace with Israel. The selection of former senator George Mitchell, a mediator of international standing, as President Barack Obama's special envoy is widely viewed as an inspired choice.

As Mitchell begins a much-needed reassessment of the US-led effort to strengthen Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas and weaken Hamas, he inherits a US policy based upon the following principles. The first denies Hamas's role in Palestinian affairs, demands its adherence to the Quartet principles (recognition of Israel, foreswearing the use of force and accepting the Oslo-Annapolis agreements); and refuses to accept its rule in Gaza.

The second involves acquiescing to Israel's diplomatic and security agenda on the West Bank, while offering only rhetorical objection to the system of checkpoints and settlement construction. The third supports Israel's security agenda in Gaza and the draconian Israeli-Egyptian restriction of imports sufficient only to meet minimal humanitarian needs – reconstruction aid is only offered on condition that it strengthens Mahmoud Abbas and weakens Hamas. And the final principle involves continuing the West Bank effort to strengthen Mahmoud Abbas by acting as paymaster for the Palestinian Authority (PA), while supporting a "counter-insurgency" strategy against Hamas, and prodding Israel to make marginal concessions to PA security services as part of a "performance-based" effort aimed at moving toward Palestinian independence and an end to occupation... more