Monday, November 3, 2008

The other election circus


The "Jewish lobby" scuttles yet another political leader

By Khaled Amayreh in occupied East Jerusalem
Al-Ahram Weekly

".....It looks like the right-wing camp, with its secular and religious wings, has the edge. This could mean bad news for the Palestinians in general and the "peace process" since a government whose premier is Benyamin Netanyahu would be very parsimonious in terms of the occupied territories it is willing to cede, whether in the West Bank or in the Golan Heights.

Al-Ahram Weekly asked veteran Israeli journalist Roni Shakaid if he thought the post-election Israeli government would be "bad news for peace with the Palestinians." "I am afraid it will be. The very least I can say is that the ethos of the conflict with the Palestinians will remain unchanged. In other words, if the overall situation doesn't get worse, it won't get better."

This week, Fatah leader and leading PA peace negotiator Ahmed Qurei said he hoped Livni would be Israel's next prime minister. While his hopes may be well-placed and shared by many, it is highly doubtful that Livni stands to gain much from an Arab appearing to publicly supporting her. One Israeli commentator pointed out that Qurei's remarks "will eventually be perceived as a liability, not an asset, for Livni."

Israeli Jewish society is too racist and too anti-Arab even to tolerate a mayor who is supported by Arabs, let alone a would-be prime minister. Indeed, Livni's refusal to contact any of Israel's Arab parties during her ill- fated efforts to form a coalition government testifies to the real situation in the Jewish state. "

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