May
1, 2003, 9:00 a.m.
Abu Mazen’s Alternative to Terrorism
Is it a demographic
bomb?
eath and destruction aside, what is most disturbing about Tuesday's terrorist
attack in Tel Aviv is who has claimed responsibility. The attack was jointly
planned by Hamas and the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, according to Agence
France Presse.
Hamas always
has been candid about its goal: the annihilation of Israel.
But the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades are tied to Fatah, and Fatah is the organization
of Yasser Arafat — and of Mahmoud Abbas, a.k.a. Abu Mazen. A terrorist
attack by the Martyrs' Brigades, in association with Hamas, just hours after
Abu Mazen was confirmed as the new Palestinian Authority prime minister,
sends an unmistakable message about the chances for Arab-Israeli peace anytime
soon.
Perhaps the terrorists underestimate Abu Mazen. Perhaps even now he is preparing
a muscular response. In his inaugural address, delivered just prior to the
attack, Abu Mazen denounced terrorism "by any party and in all its
shapes and forms" — a way of saying "Israel does it, too"
(but since even Reuters and the BBC display that sort of moral relativism
it would be unfair to expect more of any Arab leader at this point).
Most media reports have said that Abu Mazen "suggested" that his
new government will move against terrorist groups — as President Bush
has demanded before there can be movement toward Palestinian statehood.
But if you actually read Abu Mazen's address you'll see that his "suggestion"
was vague at best. "The unauthorized possession of weapons," he
said, "is a major concern that will be relentlessly addressed."
That sounds more like Sarah Brady than it does an antiterrorist warrior.
No one should underestimate how much courage it will require for Abu Mazen
to actually take up arms against Hamas and- perhaps even more — against
such groups as the Martyrs' Brigades. But until and unless Abu Mazen does
use force to stop terrorism it would be wishful thinking to describe his
ascendency as anything but public relations — Araftism with a human
face.
Also unclear is whether Abu Mazen's dispute with Hamas and other terrorists
groups reflects new thinking — or just new tactics. In other words,
has Abu Mazen genuinely come to the conclusion that after more than a half
century of warfare it's time for the Arab world to accept Israel and live
in peace as Israel's neighbors? Or has he merely come to the conclusion
that terrorism is unlikely to achieve the goal of destroying Israel —
and that there is a better way to achieve victory?
If it's the latter, what does he think would be more effective?
In his Tuesday inaugural, Mazen emphasized "the importance of the question
of refugees … we are speaking of millions of Palestinian refuges around
the world." He added that a "solution to the refugee problem consistent
with international law (particularly U.N. Resolution 194) will be the basis
of peace and coexistence."
That's a reference to the "right of return" which is code for
the destruction of Israel by demographic means. Under Resolution 194, "refugees
wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors
should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date."
If Israel were to accept that, there would be an influx of — as Mazen
says — "millions of Palestinian refugees" demanding Israeli
land and citizenship. Israelis would become a minority in their own country.
Israel would cease to be a Jewish state — and, in fact, would cease
to exist.
It's unlikely that Abu Mazen will have a difficult time persuading the U.N.,
the European Union, and Russia — three of the four members of the "Quartet"
that is meant to orchestrate the peace process — to support this formula.
None of those entities have been anything but hostile toward Israel for
years. (Significantly, they've been decreasingly cordial to the U.S. as
well.)
But it is impossible to imagine Ariel Sharon or any other Israeli leader
regarding Abu Mazen's proposal as anything but surrender — not least
because roughly half Israel's people are Mizrahis, Jews (or the children
of Jews) who fled oppression in the Arab countries they had called home
for centuries.
According to early reports, the "Road Map" presented Wednesday
to Abu Mazen and Sharon does not mention Resolution 194. Nevertheless, it
would useful if President Bush were to make clear to Abu Mazen and the Quartet
that if they see Arab immigration into Israel as the path to "peace,"
they are heading for a dead end.
— Clifford D. May, a former New York Times foreign correspondent,
is the president of the Foundation
for the Defense of Democracies, a think tank on terrorism, and an NRO
contributor.
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eath and destruction aside, what is most disturbing about Tuesday's terrorist
attack in Tel Aviv is who has claimed responsibility. The attack was jointly
planned by Hamas and the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, according to Agence
France Presse.
