Talking to Barghouti
ZE'EV SCHIFF
Ha'aretz, 16 July 2004
When Marwan Barghouti, one of the most outstanding Palestinian leaders, was arrested, it was obvious that one of the goals of the interrogators was to use him to implicate Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat of being directly involved with terror. The assumption was that Barghouti was likely to be tempted to pave the path to national leadership for himself by this means. But Barghouti rejected all such attempts.
Some people thought that through Barghouti, there might be an opportunity to open a quiet track to indirect negotiations with the Palestinian leadership. But one attempt to suggest this to the prime minister was enough to make it clear that Ariel Sharon wouldn't accept such a proposal. It stood in contradiction to his strategy - unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip.
And thus, everything focused on Barghouti's trial. His conviction was facilitated by his declaration that in the present situation, the Palestinians will continue to engage in violence. His argument that the Israeli court had no authority to try him was not accepted. And rightly so. However, we cannot dismiss the possibility that Barghouti may be a worthy negotiating partner.
At present, Israel has no Palestinian address for negotiations. Not Arafat, not Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala), not PA security chief Mohammed Dahlan, and not former prime minister Mohammed Abbas (Abu Mazen). The truth is that Sharon isn't interested in such an address. Such a tactic can be used occasionally; but one gets the impression that for Sharon it has become a principle. The formula that there will be no negotiations is in any case causing chaos, and an intensification of the occupation is not helping even those focusing on the fight against terrorism.
Neither Israel nor the United States considers Arafat a worthy address for negotiations to end the conflict,. Washington's opposition increased after it turned out that the person who masterminded the October bombing of the convoy of American diplomats in the Gaza Strip in which three Americans were killed, was a Palestinian policeman who was traveling in the convoy. Other countries that have formal ties with Arafat are not trying to help him, especially when he refuses to implement the security reforms dictated by the road map.
In the ensuing vacuum, Barghouti is one of the most authentic and popular leaders of the Palestinian public. He is charismatic and capable of establishing a strong leadership coalition around him, and thereby break the tragic cycle of Palestinian society, which at the moment is incapable of making any major decisions except for using violence.
In spite of everything that has happened, Barghouti believes in peace with Israel - that was my impression during a visit at his office before the intifada. But along with his call for a peace agreement, he also served as commander of the military arm that answers to Arafat. He refused to hand in the weapons held by the Tanzim organization. His men were involved, as per Arafat's instructions, in the clashes that erupted following the opening of the Western Wall tunnels (in which 15 Israelis and some 60 Palestinians were killed), as well as in clashes in May 2000.
Now Barghouti is in prison, and it looks like he'll be there for a long time. He will be considered the leader of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners. In spite of the bloody account between him and Israel, he and his family should be treated with proper respect. That is not happening, and he is still isolated from the rest of the prisoners. History has provided us with examples of successful negotiations held by governments with leaders who were held in prison, for example, Nelson Mandela, leader of the blacks in South Africa, and Jomo Kenyatta, leader of the rebels in Kenya. Both eventually became presidents of their countries and great leaders who brought about agreements. Israel must also search for the proper Palestinian exemplar, and it just might be Marwan Barghouti.