Seeking Recognition

Detroit International Riverfront

Palestinian ambassabor to U.S.
talks moderation at WSU.

Harry Kirsbaum

were sanctioned and punished col-
lectively"
Not only was some of the foreign
ith a Palestinian coalition
aid — "which was not as generous as
government days away
everybody thought" — held back, but
from
Israel stopped transfer-
completion in
ring the monthly $60
the Gaza Strip,
million in taxes collected
Palestinian
for Palestinians?'
Ambassador to the ,
With more than 600
United States Afif 1
checkpoints, the West
Safieh visited Detroit
Bank loses almost 8 mil-
Nov. 13-15, calling
lion working hours every
for a more proac-
day, he said.
tive approach from
He said the
the United States
Palestinian Authority's
in helping in the
battle for indepen-
Mideast peace pro-
dence and statehood
cess.
will be lost or won in
"The previous
Washington, and he is
Afif Safieh: see ks U.S. help
peace processes
hopeful from the recent
failed mainly
elections that "the neo-
because too much was left to the local cons on one side and the theo-cons
belligerent factions to sort it out:'
on the other will have diminished
Safieh said. "What were democrati-
importance and decision-making in
cally acceptable to one side was unac- the months and years to come?'
ceptable to the other, and vice versa?'
He spoke Nov. 14 at a Wayne State
One State Or Two?
University program sponsored by the
A member of the pro-Israel advo-
Detorit-based university's Center for
cacy group StandWithUs-Michigan
Peace and Conflict Studies.
questioned him on the wording of the
The Palestinian message to
1964 PLO Charter calling for the total
American society: "[We're] not ask-
liberation of "Palestine. "
ing you to sacrifice your traditional
"Everything is fluid and dynamic;
friend, Israel," Safieh said. "We are
the PLO movement has changed:'
just offering you an additional friend, Safieh said.
Palestine?'
After the October 1973 war, "we
He is hopeful that being on the
became aware that probably this was
verge of announcing a national
the last major generalized confronta-
coalition government comprised of
tion, and we understood that Israel
Hamas and Fatah elemenis as well
was militarily undefeatable because
as independent factions will bring
of the American commitment to pro-
recognition from the international
tect Israel. We moved from total liber-
community and repair damage in the ation of Palestine towards accepting
Palestinian society.
the two-state solution."
"We had two elections, which were
Jeremy Salinger of Southfield, pres-
impeccable and immaculate and •
ident of the local chapter of Ameniu,
internationally monitored:' he told
a progressive Zionist group, said the
the crowd of 175.
ambassador "sidestepped most of the
"Winners and losers have to act
major issues."
gracefully in a democracy — respect
"He feels that international inter-
for the minority from the majority:'
vention, that very strong pressure is
he said, adding he was disturbed that going to be necessary to bring the
Hamas won the parliamentary elec-
two sides together:' said Salinger.
tion.
"He's encouraging us to get our gov-
"Instead of the occupiers [Israel]
ernment to be more proactive, which
being pressured by the international
is what many people are saying in the
community, it was the occupied who
Jewish community as well?" El

Staff Writer

W

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November 23 • 2006

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