Time To Face Reality

With Gaza is in the hands of Hamas and Israel and the United States rushing to shore up the shaky leadership of Abu Mazen in the West Bank the one overriding question is how to actually enfranchise stability in the West Bank, Gaza and Israel? The answer is of course multifaceted, but it must begin with an infusion of authority into Fatah and its leadership in the West Bank. Salaam Fayyad is a fine man and a widely accepted administrator of the fortunes of the PNA. But the West Bank needs Marwan Barghouti to enable Abbas to gain the broad public support necessary for the changes to come in the West Bank and to retain his Presidency and the primacy of Fatah. It is up to Israel to recognize this reality and to determine to include Barghouti in the exchange for Gilad Shalit which it must pursue tirelessly with all parties until it is accomplished. If Israel wants to secure stability it will have to release Barghouti, fund Abbas, eliminate senseless checkpoints and begin to pave the long road to peace so that both parties have real and recognizable access.

Larry Snider