The Palestinian Liberation Organization reached its heights under former Chairman Yasser Arafat, where the group obtained international legitimacy, became the leading party in the Palestinian Authority, and was regarded the only legitimate voice for the Palestinian people.
Since the group’s ‘golden age,’ no other leader has managed to obtain the same level of support among the residents of the West Bank and Gaza. Moreover, under Mahmoud Abbas, the PLO lost significant support, with Fatah losing the 2006 parliamentary elections and Hamas gaining enough power to launch a coup and take over the Gaza Strip.
The cover story of the most recent issue of the Washington Diplomat profiles PLO representative to the United States Maen Rashid Areikat who has served in that position for eight months.
Many analysts see little hope in a peace process emerging from the current debate due to the Fatah-Hamas dispute and continued verbal sparring between Israeli officials and Abbas, particularly regarding settlement activity. However, Areikat expressed optimism that the United States would exert enough pressure on the situation to shepherd in a viable peace process and end the decades-long conflict. He says:
“I think that with the Obama administration’s assertion that it’s a national security interest to have a Palestinian state next to Israel, we’re seeing a different tone and hopefully a different approach than before… The United States will not allow this conflict to persist and undermine its interests. I think this is my strongest source of optimism. I see an administration that has not abandoned the pursuit of peace. They may have taken a break for the time being, but I believe strongly that they cannot afford to let it slip out of their hands.”
On President Obama, Areikat said:
“I think that with the Obama administration’s assertion that it’s a national security interest to have a Palestinian state next to Israel, we’re seeing a different tone and hopefully a different approach than before… The United States will not allow this conflict to persist and undermine its interests. I think this is my strongest source of optimism. I see an administration that has not abandoned the pursuit of peace. They may have taken a break for the time being, but I believe strongly that they cannot afford to let it slip out of their hands.”
Photo from the Washington Diplomat.