STATEHOOD NOW :

Many Palestinians Want Reform, but on Their Terms : Critics of U.S. Plan Say Change Can Come Only From Within (John Ward Anderson, July 15, 2002, Washington Post)

On the face of it, virtually everyone in the Gaza Strip and West Bank seems to agree with President Bush that the Palestinians need to elect new leaders, reform every segment of the government, end corruption and revamp their security services.

But although the words are the same, when Bush and the Palestinians talk about reform, elections and leadership changes, the meaning is entirely different. And even if the goals sound similar, Palestinians say changes need to come from the heart of their leadership and cannot be mandated from outside, or they will never take root.

"It's ironic to see the demands of your enemy become your demands, but we do not have the same perspective and understanding," said Ismail Abu Shanab, a top political leader in the Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas. "The Palestinian concept of reform is totally different from the concept suggested by Bush or imposed by [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon."

The huge disconnect has raised doubts here that the Middle East peace initiative Bush outlined in a major speech three weeks ago will ever get off the ground. In his proposal, Bush offered support for a provisional Palestinian state after Palestinians hold elections for new leaders and implement a host of reforms.

This article outlines a series of pretty legitimate objections by and concerns of Palestinians about trying to conduct reform without having an actual state and while Israel controls so much of their territory. It also demonstrates why Arafat walked away from Barak's offer and why there are bombings every time peace talks that might lead to statehood look imminent : when statehood comes the PLO is doomed. Indeed, it seems quite possible that the biggest obstacle to peace in Palestine is Israel's (and thereby America's) failure to just recognize a Palestinian state and tell them to govern it themselves. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 15, 2002 2:19 PM