Three weeks ago we reported that Hanan Ashrawi‘s visa application had been delayed, and she could not join an event in the U.S. Now the word is official, the longtime Palestinian legislator/negotiator has been denied. From Ashrawi’s twitter feed:
It is official! My US visa application has been rejected. No reason given. Choose any of the following: I’m over 70 & a grandmother; I’ve been an activist for Palestine since the late 1960’s; I’ve always been an ardent supporter of nonviolent resistance…
Potential reasons she gives in that thread:
I’ve always struggled for human rights and against corruption… I’ve been a vocal critic of this administration & its underlings… I despise hypocrisy, misogyny, absolutist fundamentalism, populism, racism of all kinds, exclusivity, arrogance & condescension, power politics & militarism, cruelty in any form, & any sense of entitlement & exceptionalism; Most of all, I have no tolerance for the Israeli occupation in all its manifestations as a most pervasive form of oppression, dispossession & denial
Matt Lee reports that the State Department provided no details on why it rejected Ashrawi only saying that it does not do so on the basis of political beliefs.
Ashrawi’s denial is a landmark event signalling the death of the two-state solution, says Ed Abington, former US consul in Jerusalem under Clinton and adviser to the Palestinian Authority and a former American point-man on the Oslo accords. Abington writes on Facebook [I’ve inserted paragraph breaks]:
I have known and worked with [Ashrawi] for twenty-five years. She is a fierce opponent of occupation but a strong believer in civil resistance and negotiations to end occupation.
I think it is absolutely clear that the decision to deny her a visa was made in the White House, by the Trump team, Kushner, Greenblatt and Friedman. I think it is becoming clear what the Trump group’s game plan is. Punish the Palestinians as much as they can, thinking that might force them to accept a totally disastrous deal. Knowing the Palestinians won’t agree to that, even if the Saudis and other Arabs pressure them, then set the stage for a “justified” Israeli annexation of much of the West Bank.
The two state solution is dead. Palestinians have to move on and press for equal rights in a unitary state. That will take a generation, if not longer, but I see no alternative. And if you have the time or inclination, read the comments to Dr. Ashrawi’s tweet from what I assume are Americans. Many are vile and racist. One can only assume they are from the fundamentalist supporters of Trump. Absolutely disgusting.
Abington’s view is consistent with the view of a French diplomat that the Kushner plan demands that Palestinians “surrender” to Israeli control of the West Bank, but that they would sooner commit suicide.
H/t Ofer Neiman.
Ashrawi denied = End of the 2SS.
I had no idea just how grandiose this person is. Imagine putting an end to the self determination of millions of people just for not seeing your grandchildren.
Ed Abington, former US consul in Jerusalem under President Clinton and adviser to the Palestinian Authority, is quoted in this article describing Hanan Ashrawi as “a strong believer in civil resistance and negotiations to end OCCUPATION”. You would think that Ms Ashrawi is supposed to be a strong believer in negotiations to end the CONFLICT with Israel. However, ending the conflict with Israel is not even on the radar screen. In the quotes of Ms Ashrawi, we learn that she is in favor of non-violent resistance and human rights, and we hear that she opposes occupation. But is she in favor of a solution to the conflict (i.e. peace with Israel)?
It’s a phenomenon in the Palestinian political culture that you only hear what is unacceptable, but you never hear what end-of-conflict proposal is acceptable. So, we hear that “the two-state solution is dead”, but we don’t hear that the one-state solution is the way to end the conflict.
There is no end-of-conflict proposal that the Palestinians would accept. The Palestinians want victory, not an agreed-upon peace. Ending the conflict through negotiations means for the Palestinians that they are admitting the failure of their “muqawamah” (resistance). That means admitting defeat (i.e. surrendering).
So, everything is stuck. The Palestinians cannot defeat Israel, but they want to continue the hostilities. They would love to improve their position by forcing Israel to “end the occupation”, but that can’t be done without signing an end-of-conflict deal. It should be noted that in the Palestinian view “everything is occupied”, so that grievance can never be rectified anyway (except through the defeat of the Jews which is quite impossible). So, all we’re left with is the constant and pointless griping and belly-aching.
@mondonut; Righto, at any time the Israeli electorate could decide to roll back the settlements, bring back the half million settlers living in the West Bank, end 50 years of occupation just like that! It’s all possible!
Ashrawi is simply making an observation: it’s all de facto one state now. Looked at a map of the region recently?
“Israel Okays Major West Bank Settlement Roads, Seizing Large Tracts of Palestinian Land…
Civil Administration approves two roads leading to isolated settlements, in a move activists say is ‘part of the government’s ongoing surrendering to settlers’ demands’ ”
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-okays-major-west-bank-roads-seizing-massive-tracts-of-palestinian-land-1.7223992
But let’s keep in mind- it’s POSSIBLE that the Israeli electorate will reverse all this. Yes, peace is just around the corner!
This visa denial is truly pathetic.