A daunting task ahead for Mitchell team

By Kesava Menon

MANAMA (BAHRAIN), DEC. 13. The international team, headed by the former U.S. Senator, Mr. George Mitchell, that is to probe the causes of the current violent confrontation between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians has begun its work meeting regional leaders and officials.

With this one of the conditions set by the Palestinians for the calling off of their agitation against Israel has been met. Other conditions are not likely to be fulfilled but in any case there is little likelihood that the Palestinians will abandon their confrontational approach to Israel.

In the end, the Palestinians have got their way in respect of the composition of the committee. Though the team is led by an American, the Palestinians were able to ensure that it is not a purely U.S. body (as Washington and Tel Aviv had initially wanted). Turkey's former President, Mr. Suleyman Demirel, and the European Union's Mr. Javier Solana are among the other prominent members. They have already met the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Ehud Barak, the Palestinian Authority President, Mr. Yasser Arafat, and the Egyptian President, Mr. Hosni Mubarak. They are expected to consult regional security experts, study reports and submissions and perhaps also visit some of the sites where clashes have taken place more often.

There was an attempt to expand the terms of reference of this team and make it into a sort of peace-monitoring force too by inducting security experts from outside the region who could have provided constant inputs on measures to keep the situation under control. The hopes for such a force now depends on a joint British-French effort at the U.N. Security Council.

The very presence of the Mitchell team, however, could have a soothing effect especially since there has been a change in the pattern of the Palestinian uprising. Though the number of casualties suffered each day has not significantly lessened, the uprising is not as widespread as it was at its peak and consists these days of sporadic clashes at different points of the Palestinian territories.

From the fact that the stone-throwing confrontations with the Israelis are not as widespread as before it does not follow that the Palestinian mood of defiance has lessened. They have gone beyond the point where they believe that they can wait patiently till negotiations terminate the conditions of occupation and oppression as is reflected in their readiness to riot. There seems to be little chance that the Palestinian leadership, even if they were prepared to do so, would be able to make their people revert to a passive state.

The Palestinian leadership would probably express its happiness if their further demands for the institution of a peace-keeping force and the re-deployment of Israeli troops away from Palestinian residential area are met. If so, Palestinians might convert their agitation into a non-violent one. But they will nevertheless continue to confront the Israelis because they are absolutely clear about the ends they are seeking.

The Palestinians want Israel to vacate the land - East Jerusalem as much as the West Bank and Gaza Strip - occupied since June 4, 1967 and agree at least in principle that the refugees can return.

At the Camp David talks in the middle of this year, Mr. Barak had inched his way towards meeting these demands though his final offer had fallen short of the minimum that the Palestinians could accept. Now the Palestinians have drawn a red line and categorically told Israel that if they want a deal this is what they will have to do.

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Section  : International
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