No chance for peace with Israel yet

Barghouti speaks on his 11th year in prison Gaza - Mohammed Habib Fatah Central Committee member Marwan Barghouti has been imprisoned by Israel for 11 years. Speaking exclusively to Arabstoday on the 11th anniversary of his arrest, Barghouti says he does not believe there will be an opportunity to reach a peace deal with Israel’s current administration. “Netanyahu doesn’t even admit that he represents an occupying force,” he says. “Nor does he recognise international law or the Palestinians’ right of return for refugees or a state along 1967 borders.” “With these facts in mind, what are you supposed to negotiate with him or his government?” Fatah’s most famous prisoner believes there are preconditions for negotiations. “If the US administration is serious about ending the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state, it has to obtain an explicit commitment from Netanyahu,” he claims. Referring to US President Barack Obama’s recent tour of the Middle East, the Fatah leader claims the president has done little to help the region. “Obama did not do anything in his first term and his last visit was only to improve his image and reaffirm the US-Israeli alliance.” “The visit did not yield any results,” he claims. These preconditions would include a withdrawal to 1967 borders, a settlement freeze and the release of prisoners. Barghouti also claims Fatah’s performance in recent months has been “below expectations,” even “disappointing.” “Major challenges lay ahead for Fatah. Ending occupation and achieving right of return and independence will come about if Fatah starts acting like a national liberation movement and not a political party under occupation,” he argues. A new and effective strategy will have to be adopted for this to come about though, the Fatah official adds, based on Palestine’s recently acquired United Nations membership and the international agencies that come with it. That could even include litigation at the International Criminal Court (ICC), he claims. “The Palestinian Authority should also work on boycotting and isolating Israel, as well as imposing international sanctions on it.” “There should be no negotiation with the occupation and we have to adhere to the path of resistance,” he argues. According to Barghouti, national reconciliation poses the second-biggest challenge to Fatah’s leadership. “Palestinians will welcome every sincere Arab, Islamic or international effort to bring about reconciliation,” he says, referring to recent initiatives by Qatar to bring together Fatah, Hamas and other Palestinian factions. “But the Palestinians must accomplish this by themselves. It’s no one else’s job.” Barghouti tells Arabstoday he spends most of his time in prison reading and teaching himself. He keeps abreast of international and regional developments through Hebrew dailies as well as The New York Times, Herald Tribune and al-Quds Arabic newspaper – when it’s available. Occasionally he teaches languages to other prisoners. Barghouti acknowledges that the prisoners’ issue is becoming increasingly important within Palestinian politics and international responses to it. “The issue of prisoners was not a priority at the negotiating table for the past 20 years,” he tells Arabstoday. He believes his release would be “better late than never,” but claims insufficient pressure was put on Israel to negotiate his freedom – and that of other Palestinian prisoners – before the Oslo Agreement.