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Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Part IV: The Chaotic Conflict of Political Power through Palestinian...

                                                                                             Palestinian/Israeli Gaza Conflict Protestors at War Memorial

 

We have spoken of the finances behind this ongoing tragedy, extending now into almost a full week. Yesterday we talked about the politics of American values, along with former and future Presidential prowess, when presented with a divided Israeli region. Today, we need to examine the possible real reasoning, behind the current chaos in Palestine, and the upcoming electoral season in Israel, to be held in about (45) days. The mentor I spoke of yesterday also taught me that,when it comes to politics, all politics are local and that everything done by politicians has political motives, for to them, the end always justifies the means! 

 

I’ve found this to be true over the years, therefore upon further research, of the Israeli elections and the players involved, I began to learn the motives and the strategies behind those involved. Now being as though I strategize, for political campaigns and politicians with public policy, that they want passed, on a daily basis for my other job, (you know the one that actually pays me), it didn't take me long to put two and two together and come up with a plausible theory, on exactly why these offensive attacks, have taken place, when they have. However, if you remember yesterday's post, I told you the two things my mentor stressed to me, when it came to journalism and reporting. The first part, of my mentors advice, was to leave personal feelings and bias opinion out of my reporting, therefore I will just give you the history of the region, the players’ involved and their pasts, and then allow you to come up with your own conclusions.

 

This time three years ago, Hamas won the Democratically held, 2006 Palestinian elections, gaining a majority of seats on the Palestinian Legislative Council, thereby intensifying the conflict between Israel and the West Bank-dominated Hamas group. This electoral pouncing in Palestine, also sparked a further civil unrest, between the then ruling class of Fatah, whose chief remains the PLO leader, Mahmoud Abbas. However, the party control switch (similar to the recent trouncing the Democrats gave Republicans here in America) issued by the people of Palestine, caused mass suffrage, due to global aid being reduced to almost non-existence, when it came to food, medical supplies, water and more, by Israel, the Quartet and Western-allied countries, who labeled Hamas as a terrorist organization.

 

Immediately following this victory, Israel sealed the borders of the Gaza Strip, preventing the free flow of the Palestinian people, equipment, imports and exports and military aide for the region. Since this action was taken, Hamas and Palestinian militants have been shooting Qassam mortar rockets at Israeli settlements near the southern tip of Israel, located near the Gaza borders.

 

June 2007, brought about the internal fighting between the Legislatively-led Hamas and the Leadership-led Fatah groups. The Hamas takeover of the Gaza strip, led to the Israeli and Egyptian restriction of goods and services, for the Palestinian people, into and out of Gaza. Though viewed by many, including Human Rights Watch groups, as being a violation of international humanitarian law, Israel insists on allowing only basic food and medicines into Gaza and has cut fuel supplies and reduced electricity, causing an international crisis and the deaths of many, refused medical treatment and proper aide.

 

In April 2008, Hamas leaders gave interviews and made statements articulating their goals: A peace process with Israel based on Israeli withdrawal to the borders of 1967, a dismantling of all the West Bank settlements, removal of all soldiers from Gaza and the West Bank, repudiation of Israel's "illegal annexation of Jerusalem," release of all Palestinian prisoners, and an end to Israel's blockade of "our international borders, our coastline and our airspace permanently." Hamas has never said explicitly that it will recognize Israel's "right to exist," however statements, by Hamas leaders Mahmoud al-Zahar and Khaled Meshal, signaled that it was ready, to accept the fact, that Israel does exist.

 

In June 2008, a six-month Egyptian-brokered cease-fire agreement was signed between Hamas and Israel; while hostilities did not end on both parts, Israel resumed its blockade of the Gaza Strip, leading to shortages of gas, electricity, water, and medicine, among other goods.

 

In September 2008, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formally resigned his office, in a letter submitted to President Shimon Peres, and the following day Mr. Peres formally asked Livni to form a new government. Livni faced tough negotiations with Kadima's coalition partners, particularly the Shas party, which had set conditions for joining a Livni government. Likud, the main opposition party, lobbied Shas and other parties, seeking to bring about that result, however on October 24, 2008, Shas refused to join a governing coalition, and so, a week later, elections were scheduled.

 

Livni dropped her bid for coalition government, as she failed to get minority parties to join. The major religious parties - United Torah Judaism and Shas, Pensioner's Party and Meretz-Yachad had major differences with Livni on the issues of social welfare and Jerusalem. Livni asked President Shimon Peres for early elections, which were scheduled for February 2009. Accordingly, Olmert will preside over a transitional government, until a new prime minister, forms the next government and is sworn into office in early 2009.

 

The three candidates that have plans on running for Israeli Prime Minister, have completely different approaches and techniques, when it comes to dealing with the century-old Palestinian struggle. The fact that the other (2) candidates opposing Madame Livini are both former P.M.'s, they both have the strength, know-how, name recognition and constituent following needed to overtake the factor of incumbency. We will see come February '09, however...