Jeffery Goldberg, Palestinians, and keeping the 2-states alive

Jeffery Goldberg pointed out a very legitimate fact about other nations and the UN vote. From his blog:

Here's the question that nags at me: How could the United Nations recognize Palestine, a state comprising of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, when the two territories are ruled separately, by factions that have actually gone to war with each other in the recent past, and which disagree about the most fundamental issue of all: the efficacy and morality of the two-state solution. Would a "unity" government suffice? But how could they be unified in reality, when their understandings of the world are diametrically opposed. This is a legal question, and ultimately a practical one. Could someone please provide a poor blogger some answers?

So . . . I thought I'd write the old sport:

Yodals Goldberg,

Of course what you are saying is factually correct. But the crude meat of the matter is that Hamas is claiming to “not get in they way” of a PLO deal that Abbas makes . . . Even though they have been doing everything they can from Gaza to socialize the population against the idea. According to Hamas, “God promised them the land of Palestine,” so it’s not theirs to give up.

I like to think of the PA’s move as a tactic. A tactic that will put them back in the drivers seat, because they weren't able to get any leverage from Bib and his gang of marginal wackos. Furthermore, Obama didn’t really do anything for the PA (other than mostly pay their bills). So this is about credibility for moderate Palestinians. It’s a way of looking like a hard-ass motha’ in the face of the Israeli and American administrations just saying “NO” or “HOLD ON FOR OBAMA’S SECOND TERM.”

That isn’t going to legitimize the Fayyad/Abbas idea that Palestinians can agree to two states. In fact, when I used to live in Bethlehem, there were hardly enough moderate Palestinians for that . . . So Abbas had to do something. Mr. Abbas was done making the same mistake that Obama is making: bending over backward to win-over constituencies that didn’t elect him. Or like him. Or even could vote for him in the first place.

Wouldn't you do the same in his situation?

Best,
The Col.

Update: Ma'an news agency's Nasser Laham gives his take.

September 21, 2011 (FOR ME)

Today I started with a two and a half hour phone call with my editor, Donna Beech, making sure the narrative of my book, Surfing the Middle East, flows like a traveler on a diplomatic visa (freely). Then I jumped into my Ford Bronco (white, a '91, and a full-out O.J. mobile) and made my way to Trestles for the Hurley Pro, to watch Kelly Slater, win the damn thing at the tender age of 39. Incredible.

Kelly Slater goes into the air, launching off a wave at the Hurley Pro at Lower Trestles near San Clemente. Slater went on to win on Wednesday. (Photo: Sean Rowland / EPA / September 18, 2011)

I then got some food, made a few calls to the Amazon fulfillment house and a few printers for the paper copy of Surfing the Middle East, and proceeded back to Lowers (literal name of the surf spot where the Hurley Pro was held) and paddled out into the most crowded line-up of my life. Interesting tho: It was so packed that everyone was dropping in on everyone--and the only way to get waves was just to "GO!!!"--SO, any "I'll fight you" mentality was dropped and everyone just surfed in a state of profound anarchy. It was great.

And on the way back to North Country San Diego--where I live--I turned on NPR (the best American news outlet in my subjective opinion) and listened to this: In West Bank, Tensions Run High Before U.N. Vote.

It was a King Hell Bastard of a day.


Update: Qifa Nabki subjectivizes on Lebanon moving to a voting system of proportional representation.