Most Palestinians say "No" to the Geneva Accord
IRNA
Al-Khalil, Dec 3, IRNA -- As Israeli and Palestinian politicians were launching the so-called "Geneva Accord" in the Swiss city Monday, thousands of Palestinians took to the streets in the occupied territories to protest and condemn the "treacherous document." In the Gaza Strip, home to more than 700 refugees, thousands of people, including many refugees, fulminated against the Accords, calling Palestinian signatories to the document "traitors" and "striving to please the Americans and the Zionists at our people`s expense." "I want to know who gave (PA official Yasser) Abed Rabbo and his group the right to sell out the right of return," asked Islamic Jihad leader Muhammed Hindi. "Indeed, who gave them the right to speak on behalf of more than 4 million Palestinian refugees aspiring to return to their homes and towns from which they were uprooted by force?" In Gaza City itself, hundreds of political leaders representing major Palestinian political orientations, including key PLO figures, denounced the Geneva Accord and called on Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to reject it "publicly and clearly." "Let it be known to all and sundry that those participating in the "Geneva party" don`t represent us, and if they claim that they do, don`t you believe them," said Abdullah al Hourani, Head of the PLO Refugees Department. Likewise, Rafik Natshe, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, reminded "the Geneva people" that the Palestinian question started with the refugees and would only end with the refugees returning to their hometowns and villages." The strongest attack on the document and its Palestinian signatories came from Fatah official Dr. Asa`ad Abu Sharkh who labeled the signers "a handful of pigs." The brazenly harsh criticism, say Palestinian pundits, could portend a more serious contention within the Palestinian society if the accord was officially adopted by the Palestinian Authority. Earlier on Sunday at the Rafah border crossing, dozens of Palestinian activists tried to block the 50-member strong Palestinian delegation to the Geneva ceremony from leaving Gaza. However, delegates eventually managed to elbow their way through the crowd, amid shouts of "no to treason, no to treason." In the West Bank, the most focal protests took place in Nablus where several political and civic leaders converged at the Najah University conference hall to "reassert our commitment to the right of return." There speakers warned the PA leadership against "playing with fire." "It is crystal clear that this (the Geneva accord) is a treasonous document, therefore, lending support to it nothing short of nationalistic apostasy," said Taysir Nasrullah, addressing a large audience, including several PA lawmakers. Nasrullah, a Palestine National Council (PNC) member and a co-organizer of the conference, warned that even the PLO itself (and its leadership) would lose its legitimacy if it chose to concede on the right of return. "We all know that the right of return was the reason why the PLO was founded in the first place. Hence, the PLO loses its very raison d`etre the moment it chooses to forsake the right of return." Faced with a strong public opposition to the Geneva document, Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat has found himself in a very `unenviable position` using the words of one PA official. According to reliable Palestinian sources, Arafat privately encouraged Palestinian officials who negotiated and signed the accord last month. Indeed, there is an almost total unanimity among Palestinian political circles that PA official Yasser Abed Robbo would have dared sign the document had he not got a definite green light from Arafat. So, why is Arafat reluctant to speak up openly in support of the accord? The answer clearly lies in the overwhelming opposition among Palestinians to accord, especially those parts tacitly conceding the right of return. This opposition is strong first among the Fatah ranks, second the Palestinian public in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and third among the refugees themselves in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Arafat knows quite well that he would lose stature, even legitimacy, rather drastically, if not dramatically, if he confronted the Palestinian masses with the "shock of their lifetime," namely conceding the right of return. He also realizes that the shock would be even more greater and stunning in the absence of a full and complete Israeli withdrawal to the lines of the fourth of June, 1967, as is the case with the Geneva Accord. Another important reason explaining Arafat`s hesitation is Ariel Sharon`s "total rejection" of the accord. On Monday, Sharon reportedly described the accord as "amounting to suicide" for the Zionist state. In fact, Sharon`s deputy, Ehud Olmert lashed out at US Secretary of State Collin Powell for planning to meet with Palestinian and Israeli signatories to the accords, calling the step "harmful and very negative." Arafat reportedly did call the accord " a brave initiative that would push the peace process forward." However, he has so far refused to adopt it officially, insisting, as have other PA officials, that the accord remains an "unofficial initiative." "Our position is that it is an unofficial initiative," said PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qreai` during a press conference in Ramallah Sunday. But official or unofficial, it is clear that the signing of the accord by PA officials, though in their personal capacity, would ultimately weaken the Palestinian stance on al-Qods and the right of return in any future negotiations with Israel. This is at least the view of Arab Knesset member Azmi Bishara. "In the future, the Israelis and the world at large will not accept any new Palestinian claims in connection with the right of return. They will tell the Palestinians you agreed to give up the right of return, so why are you raising this subject once again," said Bishara during a television interview. Moreover, there is another potentially disastrous flaw in the Geneva Accord from the Palestinian view point, namely "recognizing Israel as the state of the Jewish people." This, say many Palestinian critics, could set the stage for the future expulsion of non-Jews, particularly the 1.3 million strong Palestinian community, from Israel. KA/NK/210 End
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