Netanyahu's promises

Having risen to power on the shoulders of Jewish extremists and Likud hard-liners, Netanyahu is now making good on his partisan pledges and campaign promises to his supporters. These are, however, the only promises he appears ready to keep.

He has handed over the Settlements Ministry post to an orthodox Jewish party, which was instrumental in helping him form his coalition government. This not only bodes ill for (the self- rule areas of) West Bank and Gaza Palestinians, it also foretells catastrophe.

Netanyahu has also given ample indications, besides his cabinet appointments, that "compromise" with Arabs is an infrequently used word in his vocabulary.

Although he has stated a readiness to meet with (Syrian President) Hafez Assad and (Lebanese President) Elias Harawi, the meetings, says Netanyahu, will be held on the condition that no party walks in with preconditions.

If this was not conditional enough, Netanyahu has asserted that Jerusalem is not an issue for debate, a Palestinian state will not be allowed to exist and the Golan will not be exchanged for peace between Israel and Syria.

He encouraged (Palestinian leader Yasser) Arafat to continue cracking down on Palestinian hard-liners, but added that security remains his top priority. Israel's army, said Netanyahu, will have "full freedom to act against terrorism".

Given that these actions will take place within Gaza and the West Bank, military maneuvers on the part of Israel in these territories are likely to ignite more violence than they will thwart it. In essence, Netanyahu is digging a grave for the Palestinian National Authority and ushering its members in.

The Arabs, however, are unwilling to engage in any unilateral capitulation or concession-making. The sooner Netanyahu realizes this, the sooner peace will cease to be a term thrown around as lightly as the promises he makes.

-- Al-Ahram Weekly, Cairo