CAIRO: As the United Nations Security Council begins informal debates on Palestine’s statehood bid, which was formally submitted by Mahmoud Abbass, leader of the Palestinian Authority (PA), young Palestinians slam the decision labeling it as a “failed compromise.”
The recognition, which would give Palestine observer status in the UN, meaning that they can take part in discussions but not vote, would give Palestinians 22 percent of land in the occupied territories, leaving Israel with 78 percent.
Many young Palestinian activists, however, reject the decision seeing it more as an official recognition of Israel’s right to majority of the land.
“The PA officially lost its mandate in January 2009, which obviously means that Abbas and his crew are no [longer] the legal captains to direct our ship,” Rana Baker, an activist and blogger living in Gaza, told Daily News Egypt. “A leadership needs to represent all of its people, not several hundreds or even thousands of them.”
Baker is among many young, savvy Palestinian bloggers and social media activists who not only reject the “outdated” PA, but also its move for statehood at the UN, which they see as dictatorial.
“Abbas submitted the quest for a statehood without consulting the people of Gaza and most importantly, the refugees and the displaced in the Diaspora who will be directly affected by this reckless move,” said Baker.
“Whether or not the bid was approved, the Palestinian Authority has nothing to do with my representation.”
Sharing similar concerns regarding the PA, Jehan Al-Farra, a 20-year-old blogger living in Gaza, also feels that the PA no longer represents her as a Palestinian in this generation.
Abbas, whose presidential term officially ended in 2009, “was also not elected by the Palestinian people as president,” said Al-Farra.
If the statehood bid is approved and Palestine becomes recognized as a state under the current conditions, activists fear that Palestinian refugees will not have the right to return.
Al-Farra noted that there is a “distinct” difference between the PA’s move with the bid and the recognition itself.
The recognition of the state applies to only 22 percent of the Palestinian territories, which, according to Al-Farra means that the PA will only represent the Palestinians within the 1967 borders at the UN.
“[This] means recognizing Israel on the rest of the land for the second time since Oslo which weakens the call for the right of return; this also means greater responsibilities on the shoulders of the Palestinian leadership, with a de facto and indirect occupation seeing as Israel will neither withdraw from the settlements nor give the PA control over borders, air, or sea,” she said.
Al-Farra believes that the bid is nothing but a “symbolic” move that will not change reality on the ground.
Abdel Alim Mohamed, Israeli studies analyst at the Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, underlined that refugee Palestinians have every right to be concerned, especially since it affects their hope for citizenship and their chance to go back to a land they once claimed as home.
"Essentially, if the statehood bid goes through, it will be an official recognition that Israel has right to 78 percent of the land," Abdel Alim told DNE. “Israel rejects the decision because they were only willing to negotiate apportioning the West Bank with the Palestinians.”
If the bid is approved, Palestine will be bound by specific agreements, which include that as a state they remain “friendly, peaceful, and non-resistant,” according to Mohamed.
"Palestinian Authority will have to adhere to these conditions, meaning, there will be no resistance, as part of the pact will state that Palestine is a peaceful, friendly state, so Palestinian resistance will be out of the question," said Mohamed.
Mohamed pointed out that Hamas has made its rejection of the deal loud and clear.
In fact, just last week Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas’ Gaza prime minister, called for inter-Palestinian “strategic dialogue” in order to discuss a joint strategy for establishing a state, according to AFP. The dialogue would also include activating the reconciliation deal Hamas signed with Fatah in May.
Moreover, Abdel Alim added that the PA tried to reassure the Palestinian people’s concern by saying they have plans to revise how the bid would affect refugees as well as Palestinians with Syrian, Jordanian or Lebanese citizenships, taking their situations into “strong” consideration.
Yasir Tineh, a 21-year-old Palestinian activist and blogger who has never been able to return to Palestine or visit family members currently residing in the Occupied Territories, said if the statehood bid is approved, his right of return will be “deeply compromised.”
Tineh added that refugees who were displaced from various parts of Palestine that are neither in the West Bank nor Gaza can never return to their homes and also can not seek Israel accountable for damages done to what was once their property or homes.
“My family lost their Palestinian credentials to Jordanian passports after the 1967 war when Jordan annexed the West Bank thus sparing me from the torment of refugee camps and an unknown fate,” said Tineh.
Consequently, Tineh said he fears not being among those who would have right to return if the bid is approved.
“Even if the PA can implement it and a state is granted, my family’s situation would not be taken into consideration,” he said.
Baker, on the other hand said that such situations are extremely problematic as the right of return for refugees is the “heart” of the Palestinian cause.
“Declaring a state on the 1967 lines denies this very essence in our cause; there are rights on which no compromise can stand a chance,” she said. “It is against international law and human rights to deny a people their right to return to their lands and the alleged Palestinian state, if approved, will be established on less than 22 percent of historic Palestine.”
Currently, 122 member countries in the United Nations recognize Palestine as a state, while 71 reject the idea.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has heavily denounced the idea labeling it as unfeasible since currently over 500,000 Israeli settlers occupy the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories that were officially recognized as Palestinian land by the UN following the resolution of the Six Day War in 1967.
The United States has also expressed its strong opposition against the idea and has threatened many times it would veto the resolution, if it were to be approved.
“Regardless if the bid passes or not, The PA legitimacy is negated due to the fact that they have risen to power without any form of elections by either Palestinians within or outside of Palestine,” said Tineh. “They’re only still in power due to the fact that after the Oslo Accords the International Community recognized the PA as the sole representative of the Palestinian people.”
On the other hand, Yasmine Khader, a young Palestinian living in Gaza, says she is with the statehood bid, pointing out that she believes it would give the PA leverage if they decided to hold Israel accountable for war crimes.
However, according to the International Criminal Court, Israel is not among the countries registered.
“No rational human would expect Israel to be held accountable for war crimes,” said Baker. “Israel is not even signed in the ICC or ICJ [International Court of Justice].”
If the bid were approved, however, this would not be the first time a majority of representative countries recognize Palestine as a state. The state of Palestine was recognized in 1947 after the UN partition, which stated that 43.5 percent of the land belongs to Palestine, while 56.47 percent of the land goes toward the proposed Jewish state.
Palestinian statehood was also declared again in 1988 in Algiers, by a vote of 253-46. The declaration invoked UN General Assembly resolution 181 which supported a State of Palestine on Palestinian territory with Jerusalem as its capital.
Nader ElKhuzundar, a young activist living in Gaza, pointed out that the PA’s move is nothing new since Palestine statehood has been long recognized.
For ElKhuzundar, the problem is with the PA, which he sees to be complicit with Israel when it comes to oppressing Palestinians.
“The PA is not interested in holding Israel accountable. They have security [agreements] with Israel to imprison, torture and kill Palestinians,” said ElKhuzundar.
“The PA pushed for the UNHR Council to postpone debate on the Goldstone, it was only after uproar from Palestinians that they had to put it back in the agenda, but they haven’t taken any concrete steps to bring justice to the victims of Israeli terror in Gaza; in fact, as the Palestine Papers revealed, the PA clique actively colluded with Israel to enforce the siege on Gaza.”
Earlier this month, Israel had approved a request from the PA that would allow their security forces to equip themselves with anti-riot gear, such as rubber bullets and tear gas, according to Haaretz newspaper.
The approval came ahead of the PA’s official request for statehood at the UN in order to repress expected demonstrations by Palestinians on the West Bank and East Jerusalem territories, where over 500,000 Israeli settlers currently reside.
As the PA continues to face widespread criticism among Palestinians, ElKhuzundar sees the request for statehood simply as an attempt to temporarily placate the people.
“The right to Palestinian statehood has been long recognized by the international community,” he said.
“This step is more of a populist move by Abbas who has become increasingly unpopular in the Palestinian street.”
Stay tuned for more reactions on the Palestinian statehood bid from experts and young Egyptians in tomorrow’s issue of Daily News Egypt.
