The world doesn’t care about Palestine

While world governments debate and Arab leaders express fake compassion, Palestinians can't sort own rivalries to help the people

THE ARAB STATES vigorously protest Israel’s actions against Palestinians – both in Gaza and in the West Bank. Just today, Bahraini Parliament announced new legislation, demanding “whoever holds any communication or official talks with Israeli officials or travels to Israel” to be fined or jailed. Jordanian King Abdullah warned Israel should not to “incite violence” in Jerusalem. The United Nations accepts anti-Israel resolutions monthly, pledging additional help to starving Palestinians, through the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. They all look at Israel with righteous anger in hearts and eyes; they all demand Israel to change its ways.

As far as the Palestinians go – and we’re talking regular folk here – is that everyone around pledge help and demand actions. As in pledge, instead of actually encouraging growth and implementing solutions. For example: after Israel’s operation Cast Lead, the Arab states pledged over $1 billion in aid to Gaza – which is good news for Gazans. The bad news is, however, that the money never actually reached the people, due to Fatah and Hamas’ inability to come to terms with each other, and Arab states’ inability to work out a system under which the people would be aided. For now, Gazans rely on 85 or more trucks crossing daily into Gaza from Israel. So the money is there – it’s just that none of those sheikhs and politicians can be bothered enough to actually work out a solution.

More of the same goes towards the UN, the UNHCR, UNRWA and myriad other bodies intended to investigate, propose, deliver conclusions, then investigate the conclusions, then propose new conclusions on conclusions… The game hurts my head, but worst of all – it hurts the stomachs of Palestinian children. UNRWA, for instance, been doing a great job at supporting Palestinians. However, as your grandfather used to say – “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. And yes, it is a cliché, but a correct one for this situation. Of course, you could blame the evil Israelis for UNRWA’s impotence in actually restoring infrastructure for Palestinians and set up a prosperous society, but what about Jordan? Or Lebanon? Despite decades of living under fellow Arabs’ rule, Palestinians – under the umbrella of Relief Agency’s refugee camps – been living in poverty and congestion, many times in conditions far worse than their fellow brothers in West Bank or even Gaza. Despite UNRWA’s inept efforts, inhabitants of those camps are usually denied citizenships or basic rights in these countries. No evil Israelis there – just good old Arab and Muslim brothers and sisters.

Much like the rest of the world, Arab brothers would not bother with real efforts to help Palestinian people. If in Gaza you could blame Israeli (and Egyptian) blockade, the West Bank is another matter. Yes, it is prospering now and even sees some businessmen from abroad set up shops in cities like Ramallah. Yet, there is little to none support on government level. If pledging money is too expensive for King Abdullah of Jordan, maybe he at least could spare few city planners, to turn some grey sidewalks into tree-laden beauties? Lah, ya hibibi?

Palestinian politics is obviously partially to blame. The politicians of Palestine are no different from politicians everywhere – they care first and foremost about themselves and about the grip they have on the people and their wallets. Headlines on UN reports screaming your ears deaf about deteriorating situation in Gaza (it’s been strongly deteriorating for past four years, how low can it get?!), yet, both Mahmoud Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh can’t work out even a basic plan of cooperation, leaving their people to suffer. I can understand the contention between the two: one is secular and somewhat West-alligned; the other is religious conservative, pro-Arab and mostly pro-war. Yet, if the situation in Gaza and West Bank is so grace, couldn’t you lads please sit down together and work out at least some way of helping the people? Yes, we know, people are unimportant, what is important is the electorate – during pre-election campaigns, both certainly do care about the population. Both Fatah and Hamas surely learned the best out of Western politics – care before, forget after.

Human Rights Groups, international activists, non-profit organizations, official bodies, Ministers, Presidents, governments and international communities around the world – all seem to passionately care for Palestinian issue (while ignoring mass butchery in regions less covered by the press). Yet, when it comes to dissecting the conflict into smaller parts and finding a realistic solution to small, local problems – all fail to act. But the Palestinian issue is central for all – from Islamabad to London, from Washington to Tehran. Particularly when it allows the activists to feel good about themselves on comfortable couches and armchairs; when politicians can easily reroute attention in another direction, gaining cheap points by expressing fake compassion. This is modern politics – at its very best.