By Nala Chehade, Blogger for Middle Eastern and North African Affairs
Recent developments in international politics have compelled actors in the Arab-Israeli dispute to take action. Following the United Nations Resolution 2334 condemning the illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine and the recent inauguration of President Donald Trump, Israel and Palestine demonstrated their preparation towards the quickly changing international community. The platform of the newly formed Palestinian unity government and the closing remarks by President Barack Obama conflicted with the impending Trump administration’s views and recent Israeli remarks against supporters of the Resolution.
Following three days of negotiation in Moscow under the supervision of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, rival organizations Hamas and Fatah agreed to form a unity government under the Palestinian Liberation Organization with representation in the Palestine National Council. The last Palestinian legislative elections took place in 2006 and ended in the surprising victory of the Islamist Hamas over the secular Fatah. However, the two groups do not cooperate and have quarreled since the 2007 Gaza War, sometimes referred to as the Palestinian Civil War. Despite the two organization’s disagreements over the role of religion in politics, this coalition has the potential to inspire solidarity among the geographically separated Gaza Strip and West Bank. The newly formed unity government even asked Russia to dissuade President Trump from moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. According to senior Brookings Institute fellow and former adviser on peace negotiations Khaled Elgindy, Washington’s leadership change was the “most important factor” in catalyzing cooperation between Hamas and Fatah . It seems that Palestine has overcome factionalism much faster than its Lebanese or Syrian neighbors, with renewed cooperation poised to be “a major development in internal Palestinian affairs, probably the most significant in decades.” Even the Obama administration sought to inspire positivity among the increasingly marginalized Palestinians, likely in anticipation of potential political and geographical changes.
At his final press conference, President Obama’s closing remarks expressed an American desire to push for a two-state solution, while acknowledging that “this moment may be passing.” Despite traditional U.S. support of the State of Israel, the Washington’s decision to abstain from the vote on U.N. Resolution 2334 displayed recognition of the rising level of urgency in need to solve the decades-old land dispute. Former Secretary of State John Kerry remarked that “if the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or Democratic. It cannot be both.” In their final hours, the Obama administration allocated $221 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority, however the State Department is still reviewing the decision. Unfortunately, these inspiring speeches came without enough time for action from the present administration.
Furthermore, these recent developments may have endangered the democratic solution, while pushing Israel towards isolation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reprimanded the U.S. ambassador who abstained on the resolution. He has also “already instructed [his government] to stop about $6.3 million in funding to five U.N. institutions that are especially hostile to Israel, [promising] more to come." Netanyahu expressed support for the “agreement with the defense minister to construct 2,500 housing units in Judea and Samaria," the Israeli government name for the occupied West Bank, in addition to 560 settlements in East Jerusalem. The mayor of Jerusalem released a video suggesting, “President Obama sold out Israel and embraced radical Islam and Iran," while encouraging citizens to sign a letter to support President Trump in transferring the Embassy to Jerusalem, the disputed capital city of Israel. The PLO has already threatened to revoke recognition of the state of Israel on the basis that the move violates the Oslo Accords. The relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu looks to be mutually beneficial.
The newly arrived administration promises to address issues differently than the previous administration. With a 342-80 Republican majority, the House of Representatives passed Resolution 11 condemning the “one-sided and anti-Israel” decision to abstain. Even President Trump encouraged Israel to “stay strong, January 20th is fast approaching!” Nominated Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley plans to hold the organization accountable, questioning whether the current U.S. contribution of 22 percent of the organization’s budget is worthwhile. She also disagrees with Obama’s “slash and burn” technique, instead favoring clear decisions such as the two-state solution and relocation of the Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Although American citizens have expressed concern over the Trump administration Cabinet appointees, the former South Carolina governor might be the least controversial among the group. She fearlessly verbalized her distrust in Russia, unlike President Trump, on the basis that “the United States must push back against Russia’s attempts to flex its muscles in places such as Ukraine and Syria."
In conclusion, the relationship between the Middle East, the United States, and Russia is uncertain, but is unlikely to become less contentious in the near future. The newly formed Palestinian unity government, brokered by Russia, opposes the Trump administration; the Trump administration approaches the Arab-Israeli dispute with a seemingly partial outlook. Yet, the President himself displays friendly feelings towards Russia, unlike some of his Cabinet members. While the U.S.’s new approach toward the region is unclear, sudden shifts could trigger a hostile response from either party, resulting in another uprising. However, relocating the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem could result in a regression towards Cold War-era politics, with the U.S. supporting Israel while Arab states seek solace in Russia.
Nala Chehade is a Junior at Virginia Tech, where she studies International Studies and History with minors in Spanish and Middle East Studies.
