Monday February 14, 2005

Column

For me, the glass is always half full.

After the death of Arafat. Those were words repeated by analysts and pundits, diplomats and world leaders. No one knew what would happen after the death of Arafat. Few predicted any change. The conventional wisdom said more of the same. More double talk. More mixed messages. More disappointment. More hiding behind local conflict. More blaming the other. More blaming Israel and more blaming the US.

And look what happened. Now, just a month since Abbas has taken over as president of the PA, there seems to be real movement on the Palestinian side. It is not yet time for celebration but it is certainly a time for us to be, I believe, cautiously optimistic.

The process is slow. One small step followed by another small step and then another. One stage at a time. It is very important not to get ahead of the process. Rushed, hyper enthusiasm and blind acceptance are concepts of the past. We now know that the road to progress is paved with negotiations and verifications. Negotiate and verify, negotiate and verify.

There has been massive movement on the Palestinian side since the death of Arafat. Abbas is moving it along.

In his recent interview with The New York Times the Palestinian president signaled another very important step in the process when he actually articulated his belief that the Palestinian war with Israel might indeed be over. In his assertion that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is now speaking a different language, the Palestinian leader paid the Israeli leader the ultimate compliment.

I agree with Abbas. At this point there is little doubt that Sharon has changed his message. He is now pushing ahead on a path that few if any could have predicted not only five years ago, but even last year.

During Arafat's tenure, when Abbas served as prime minister, he could not - no way, no how - convince Arafat to make any headway. He could not persuade The Chairman to make any change in the status quo, not vis a vis the Israelis, not vis a vis the terrorists. The efforts of Abbas to take a different look at situations were regularly stymied. And then, his resignation was accepted by Arafat.

When Abbas announced his candidacy for president of the Palestinian Authority and even after he began his tenure as leader, analysts sat back for several weeks and just watched. To their dismay, he did not surprise them.

At first, Abbas lived up to all non-expectations. He was the classic fence sitter. Adopting a typical style of Arab leadership, one that sometimes works, he changed nothing and tried to please everyone. Had Abbas continued in this manner it would have meant a continued state of ambivalence about Israel, about terror and about the West. But then - he changed his ways.

Now it seems that Abbas has sprung into action. He is trying to improve the life of the average Palestinian. He is trying to make a mark on the world.

In an obvious example of pro-active leadership Abbas is, clearly and specifically, delineating his wish list from the United States and Israel. He composed his list in an order that he believes will allow him to sell the package to the Palestinian people.

The overriding issue right now and one high on the wish list is the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons. Sharon has complied. Israel has begun releasing those prisoners who have completed 75% of their terms. Yes, it is only a gesture, but gestures become important foundations in positive, forward, step-taking.

Abbas has also undertaken another issue, one that is important to the Palestinian sense of self and is also a very important gesture towards Israel and the West, towards Palestinian terrorists and towards Palestinian security leaders. Abbas has begun firing security personnel who have failed at suppressing and stopping terrorists, security personnel who have failed at doing their jobs.

In firing those security personnel who conspire with terrorists Abbas seems to be sending out signals. Israelis are being told that Abbas may be serious about cracking down on terror. Terrorists are being warned that the pendulum may be swinging away from them. To the Palestinian people Abbas is saying that there may be serious headway and give and take with the Israeli side.

Abbas is definitely no longer sitting on the fence. Instead, he is in the process of building fences - figuratively. Just figuratively.