Tuesday January 18, 2005

Column:

Now is the moment of truth for the Palestinians.

It is a truth that can be actualized only by one man, Mahmoud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen, the new president of the Palestinian Authority.

Abu Mazen must decide if he will confront the terrorists within his midst. If he does, he will succeed in forging a new society for the Palestinian people, a society that puts justice and security as priority, a society that has a safe future for all members as the number one agenda item.

If Abu Mazen does nothing, or worse, if he chooses to try to negotiate with the terrorists, he will bring an end to any hope for a Palestinian State in the near future. By not cracking down he will seal the status quo.

The decision would be a "no brainer" for any Western thinker or Western leader. But for Abu Mazen the next few days will be the most difficult he has ever faced. And now, the world waits. We wait to see if he has what it takes, call it moxie, call it guts, call it fortitude, call it vision. We wait.

It is, in fact, a true dilemma for Abu Mazen. First, he must deal with popular support for the terrorists. If he clamps down on the terrorists he is seen as a collaborator by the masses, by the people on his street. He is seen as collaborating with Israel and the United States and until they are proved otherwise, for the street, that is as good as signing his death certificate. He runs the risk of losing popular support and being shamed by being called names in public. Hamas and Jihad have tremendous popular support. They can and definitely will make his life and leadership very difficult. They are a power to contend with. But they are also a power that, we must believe, can be sidelined from within - if Abu Mazen really wants it to happen, he can overcome their popular support and replace it with his own.

Then, he must deal with the actual acts, deeds, aggressive actions of the terrorists. In order to carve a new society and move ahead so that this new Palestine will receive more than promises, he personally must successfully stop the missile attacks. He and he alone has the power. Abu Mazen must stop them by force. He must send his secret police and then his uniformed police to arrest the people sending rockets against Israel. It's the only way.

The reality has begun to sink in.

Abu Mazen has started to say the right things and do the right things. He has just formed a new security division, 500 to 700 men strong. Their task is to stop the rocket launchers and they are supposed to be stationed in two areas in Gaza. It's a good start, but only a beginning.

The leadership power of the Arab world is behind him. Abu Mazen has received the support of almost every Arab and Muslim leader, as well as the support of Western leaders. They have each, in their own way, explained how very important it is to clamp down on the terrorists. They will support him, but Abu Mazen must be the man of action.

The problem will be in the short run. Making the decision. Following through. Taking the local heat. If he can handle the first few steps Abu Mazen will succeed in changing what happens on the ground and in the minds of his people. He will win the street.

This is what Abu Mazen must do:
** He must announce firmly that he is against the attacks against Israel.
That it is wrong to kill innocent people.
That regardless of history this must end now.

** He must explain to his people that a government's responsibility is to maintain security and safety.
People cannot freely promenade around with guns and rockets and shoot them just because they themselves think it justified.

** He must order his police to arrest all those connected to the launching of Kassam missiles.
The factories that make them must be destroyed.
The organizers must be arrested.
The funders must be placed on trial for killing innocent Israelis.

** He must make crack down on all people and leaders who preach terror and murder as a solution to the Palestinian problem.
The schools and mosques that teach and preach murder and terror must be shut down.
Institutions that preach harmony and coexistence must be opened and effectively staffed.

A new tone must be set.

Israel can no longer be the excuse.