The Future of Palestinian Society and Politics

The Middle East Institute and George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs co-sponsored a half-day conference on the university campus on Friday, Feb. 13. The topic of the conference was “The Future of Palestinian Society and Politics.”

The keynote speaker was Aaron David Miller, deputy special coordinator for Arab-Israeli negotiations at the State Department. Despite the recent stalemate in negotiations as well as the current frustrations and disappointment among Palestinians, Miller was confident about the future. He referred to the past five years as a “period of historical firsts” that included many unprecedented changes, particularly for the Palestinian leadership. Miller said that “the realities on the ground” dictate the urgency of making the peace process work. “There is no alternative to this process that Israelis and Palestinians are undertaking,” Miller said.

He predicted that Palestinian political aspirations eventually will be fulfilled. “The Palestinians now are, in fact, well on their way to dealing with the ultimate challenge” and are shaping their own political institutions that “will let them live as a free people,” Miller said. As for his personal stake in the Arab-Israeli negotiations, Miller confessed, “My only regret is that we have not been able to make as much progress as we should have been able to make.”

A panel discussion on Palestinian society and institution-building followed Miller’s address. The first panelist was Adrien Wing, a lawyer and full professor at the University of Iowa College of Law. Wing advised the Palestinian Legislative Council on the drafting of the Basic Law, the proposed cornerstone for the Palestinian constitutional system. She said that the Basic Law, which has not yet been signed by Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, is a “progressive” document that guarantees economic, social and cultural rights and personal freedoms.

The second panelist was Lamis Andoni, a visiting scholar at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University. Andoni said the Israeli authorities have exploited the peace process and have thwarted the PA’s attempts to obtain international financing and draft a long-term, comprehensive national development plan.

The third panelist was Peter Gubser, president of American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), who discussed the growth of Palestinian non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Gubser said that many of the smaller, grassroot groups are democratically run and staffed by educated and skilled personnel. NGOs operating at the national level, which include all universities and institutions providing one-third of the hospital beds, have become a “major presence” in Palestinian society, Gubser explained.

The final speaker was Hasan Abdel Rah man, chief representative of the PLO and the Palestinian National Authority in the United States. Mr. Abdel Rahman said that the PA had to overcome a number of obstacles and contend with the “desperate conditions” left by Israeli occupation. He emphasized that “democracy is a process” and in its first four years the PA has established schools and hospitals, built roads and provided welfare services.

He said that the PA also is constrained by the politics of the peace process, which has produced an interim agreement but not a peace treaty. The veteran diplomat stressed the need for one authority for the Palestinians and said that the PA needs strong security forces because “we are not Switzerland.” He concluded his talk with a call for international understanding of the enormous challenges facing the PA, and for assistance to overcome them.

—Randa Kayyali

Lebanese Embassy Hosts “An Evening with Kahlil Gibran”

Lebanon’s Ambassador to the U.S. and Mrs. Mohamad Chatah hosted An Evening with Kahlil Gibran, a program of readings of one of Lebanon’s foremost poets. The event which took place Thursday, Feb. 12, was organized by Mrs. Samia Nassar and Professor Suheil Bushrui in association with the Kahlil Gibran Research and Studies Project at the Center for International Development and Conflict Management, University of Maryland.

Professor Bushrui was joined by his student Mrs. Paria Akhawan in readings from two periods of Gibran’s works. The Arabic Phase which covers the period between 1905 and 1918 draws selections from A Tear and a Smile, Music, Nymphs of the Valley, Spirits Rebellious, a letter to Ameen Guraieb, a letter to May Ziadah and The Broken Wings.

The English Phase, 1918 to 1931, covers The Madman, Processions, The Tempests, The Forerunner, Beautiful and Rare Sayings, The Prophet, Sand and Foam, Jesus the Son of Man, The Earth Gods, The Wanderer and The Garden of the Prophet.

Guests in attendance included members of the diplomatic community, academics and authors.

—Hala Abi-Saleh