Europe dares to dream in Palestine
By Ramzy Baroud
Europe has showed greater willingness in recent months to play a larger part in
the Middle East's most protracted conflict, that of Israel and Palestine. But
willingness doesn't necessarily indicate readiness.
For the European Union (EU) to be truly ready to take on a conflict of such
magnitude, it must fully and clearly abandon its old ways of almost complete
subservience to US-tilted and pro-Israel stances, and of refusing to treat
Palestinians as equally deserving of the same rights and security gladly
assigned to Israel.
In other words, Europe would have to function as a truly
independent political body, and renounce the damaging policy of treating Israel
with utter sensitivity, and perceiving Palestinians, at best, as a people
undergoing economic hardship.
True, Palestinian projects funded by the EU are many and far reaching, but
while Europe has demonstrated a degree of generosity towards Palestine, it has
never had a fraction of the leading role that the US gives itself in the
region. This is partly because while Israel mostly welcomes American
involvement, it has long shunned a significant European role under various
guises and logic, claiming Europe is soft on terror and that the continent is
rampant with anti-Semitism.
Israel is, of course, referring to the fact that Europe has been much more
receptive to the idea of dialogue with Palestinians, even with groups which are
dubbed "terrorist". Public opinion polls in much of Europe have long reflected
much greater sympathy for Palestinians, and regarded Israel as a danger to
world peace. From Israel's point of view, that qualifies as anti-Semitism.
Thus, the nature and extent of any European role has always been delineated by
the US and Israel. If the EU, or one of its countries dared to defy its
appointed role, Israel would immediately cry foul and the organization would
simply back off. Even when Israel bombed several projects that were fully or
largely funded by the EU in Gaza and the West Bank, including Gaza's electric
generator, the EU failed to act in any consequential fashion, aside from a
measly and ineffective statement.
While Gaza is punished by Israel and others for electing Hamas, and as the EU
watches the unfolding human drama, it continues to be Israel's largest trading
partner.
But is Europe ready to step up to the challenge of taking over as America's
influence is likely to wane in the coming months and years? And why is there
growing media focus - especially in Israel - on the rising EU role and
involvement in the Middle East?
There are many signs that reflect a clear shift in the EU's level of
involvement in the Middle East. Starting in March, several European heads of
state traveled to Israel in highly touted and "historic" trips, including a
visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
These appearances were followed up by equally important visits by European
dignitaries, last of whom was French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in
early-October. The number of official statements made by the EU, and the nature
of these statements are all promising a different kind of European involvement.
Yet again, so what?
Some of the officials used their visits as an opportunity to chide Palestine on
violence, terrorism and so forth. Some failed to utter a word of disapproval
over Israel, as if a country that maintains a decades-long, and oppressive
occupation, as well as a long record of violating international law, can do
nothing wrong.
That said, there is no denying that Europe has been more, if not much more
sensible in its treatment of Palestine, and not just because of its many vital
development projects in the occupied territories. Europe unlike the US, doesn't
always view its relationship to Palestine as an arrogant power with a list of
uncompromising demands which have to be fulfilled or else.
The US's fundamentally erroneous approach to the Middle East in general, and
Palestine in particular, has created untold animosity towards Washington, and
generated a lack of trust that will eventually undermine its position in the
entire region - a process currently underway.
Europe on the other hand, still has a chance, and a good one. True, Sarkozy
sang the Israeli tune like the "true friend of Israel" that he is during his
visit, but he also dared to criticize Israel's settlement policies, even before
the Knesset. The EU has followed the US-Israel lead of isolating, and
eventually destroying the fresh Palestinian democratic experience, but some
European countries seemed willing to engage Hamas, and invite some of their top
officials for "unofficial" dialogue.
Various news outlets reported in April that Switzerland had invited then prime
minister of the newly formed unity government, Ismail Haniyeh, for his first
official European state visit. Norway and other European countries seemed
willing to explore various channels of dialogue with Palestine.
Although very careful with his wording, French Foreign Minister, Bernard
Kouchner, said in a Jerusalem news conference on October 5, 2008: "Officially,
we have no contact with Hamas, but unofficially, international organizations
working in the Gaza Strip - in particular, French NGOs [non-governmental
organizations] - provide us information." His statement was understood as an
indication of French willingness to indirectly talk to Hamas, the isolation of
which has spelled disaster for the Palestinian communities of Gaza.
It's no secret that the EU is positioning itself to play a greater role, but
little is known of what that means. Is that new role orchestrated jointly with
the US and Israel, or is it taking place in spite of both governments? The
answer would certainly help determine the future direction and degree of the
EU's involvement.
If the EU is there to supplement the US's expected absence due to economic
crisis at home and endless wars abroad, then little change is expected. If,
however, Europe has decided to tackle the conflict as an independent power,
separate from the discredited US, then it's an entirely different story.
Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.net) is an author and editor of
PalestineChronicle.com. His work has been published in many newspapers and
journals worldwide. His latest book is The Second Palestinian Intifada:
A Chronicle of a People's Struggle (Pluto Press, London).
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