Palestinian Hospitality and Respect

"This person backs up the Zionist movement. This person diminishes the rights of our people, takes part and backs up building of settlements. We tell him that he's not welcome."
Abdullah Abu-Rahmeh, Palestinian protester 

A group of protesters gathered in Ramallah as Foreign Minister John Baird met with his Palestinian counterpart in the West Bank city. (Reuters)

Palestinian civility was on full display this week in Ramallah, in greeting an honoured guest, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird. The manner in which he was greeted, unfortunately, was anything but honourable, either in intent or execution. Pelted with eggs and shoes, Mr. Baird came away unscathed, but with any opinion he might have harboured of the reasonableness of the Palestinian hordes either altered or validated.

It is the Palestinian way or no way, that much is clear from the raucous reaction to Canada's presence as an interlocutor and promoter of peace between the two nations locked in perpetual distrust and violent reaction to the situation that an unwillingness to finally settle their disagreements has created, leaving an open wound to fester. Demands are that Israel make sacrifices to achieve peace; the Palestinians feel no need to make any compromises to their expectations.

The greeting on the occasion of a five-day visit to the area, beginning in Ramallah to meet with Palestinian Authority dignitaries, was spectacularly rude and insulting. But this was no spontaneous reaction to what many Palestinians view as a skewed support for the Israeli position vis-a-vis the Palestinian claims. It was obviously a well-planned and -organized semi-official greeting to ensure there was no impression in the eyes of the beholder that Mr. Baird, representing Canada, was welcome there.

"We take a strong position supporting the only liberal and democratic state in the region. We take the view that a peace process, progress is best made at the negotiating table and not through unilateral actions on the other side. We're proud of that position, we believe it's the best one and don't apologize for it", stated Mr. Baird unequivocally.

"A desire for a future of peace, prosperity, stability and security for both Palestinians and Israelis must drive both parties toward direct negotiations. Today, we reaffirmed our will to work together on these matters at this crucial time."

The call by Fatah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's party, to boycott the visit of Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister in reflection of Canada's Middle East policies speaks volumes about how Palestinians view their demands. While Canada has officially reiterated its support of Israel in the most definitive of terms, Canada also supports a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian State. Canada also supplies the Palestinian Authority with funding on a five-year $300-million pledge.

In response to Mr. Baird's statement, the chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat issued his own statement claiming Canada had chosen to stand on "the wrong side of history by blindly supporting the Israeli occupation and its apartheid policies" (effectively turning reality on its head), going on to denounce Canada's Foreign Affairs minister for having met with Israeli officials in Jerusalem several years back.

For that intolerable assault on Palestinian sensibilities, Mr. Erekat insisted that Canada must apologize to Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims "for standing in the way of recognizing an independent state of Palestine." Of course, as chief negotiator for the Palestinians, negotiations toward a peace agreement to achieve a mutual consensus toward a lasting solution in mind, Mr. Erekat could present reasonable demands, but he never has.

And, to emphasize how deeply moved he was by them Palestinian show of affectionate gratitude and trust evidenced for Canada's efforts on their behalf, Mr. Baird went proceeded thereafter, to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman -- in Jerusalem.

They spoke, among other things, of the December 31 signing of the authorizing documents by Mahmoud Abbas to accede to the Rome Statute to bring Israel before the International Criminal Court after the United Nations Security Council rejected the Palestinian resolution to set a three-year deadline for the establishment of a Palestinian state on lands occupied by Israel. A situation that can only be ironed out through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

"The great struggle of our generation is terrorism", stated Mr. Baird in acknowledgement of what Israel faces in attempting to come to terms with the implacable hatred of the Palestinians favouring as a solution to their problems, the total disappearance of Israel, enabling the Palestinians to turn back the clock and resume their belief that they alone must have possession of the land in dispute.

"And as I've said before, Canada doesn't stand behind Israel; we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with it." As one of only a few western countries to remain loyal to Israel, and still attempting to be fair and just with the cause of the Palestinians, the dead-locked negotiations are recognized as a severe and seemingly hopeless impediment to the final course of events leading to the two-state reality; one that the Palestinians have been evading, hoping to steamroller their way into existence.

The expectation of even-handedness is neither a given nor a right; it must be earned.