In the annals of empty political gestures, Israel’s decision to forbid Palestinian leaders from attending reform talks in London must rank near the top of the list.
After two suicide bombings killed 22 in Tel Aviv on Sunday, the Israelis announced Monday that they would block a Palestinian delegation from traveling to London next week for talks sponsored by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Those talks were intended to promote economic, political and security reforms for Palestinians.
No one has any delusions that such talks are likely to produce either the long-sought reforms or any renewed movement toward peace. But since the U.S. and Israel have long demanded such dramatic changes of the Palestinian leadership before returning to peace negotiations, it seems contradictory–and just plain petty and churlish–to stop the delegation’s trip.
Israel has always responded swiftly and forcefully to terrorist attacks, as it should. And there’s no doubt that Israelis are frustrated at the inability to stop the terrorist attacks. That’s probably one reason they chose to retaliate diplomatically as well this time. Since Israel has already locked down most of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, it’s hard to tell how much more military pressure they can bring to bear on the Palestinians. Israeli forces have already imposed strict controls on Palestinians’ travel, and Israeli undercover teams have regularly targeted suspected militants.
In recent months, there had been a glimmer of hope that a summit of several Palestinian terrorist groups, meeting in Cairo, would call a halt to bombings inside Israel, which generally target innocent civilians. But the two attacks proved that such hopes remain extremely unrealistic.
The most recent attacks were claimed by the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a militant offshoot of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s Fatah movement. Many Israelis believe that Arafat still largely controls those terrorists, but there are serious questions about whether he exercises much or any authority over them.
“There is no reform possible with this regime,” Israeli Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after the government’s decision. He’s right, of course. But that’s exactly why Israel should do everything in its power to help the Palestinians shake off the corrupt and venal leadership of Arafat.
That means Israel should reconsider its decision, as U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw have urged.
There are moderate voices among the Palestinian leaders, and there are voices for reform. Among those scheduled to attend the conference was Salem Fayyad, the finance minister who has been praised by American and Israeli officials for attempting to institute new transparency and accountability into the Palestinian Authority’s financial operations. Those voices for reform and moderation are being drowned out by the voices of violence and terror. Israel’s policy should be focused on doing everything it can to encourage the forces of reform. Blocking the trip, no matter how politically satisfying, does exactly the opposite.
