The Strategy Palestinians Need to Develop

by James J. Zogby

Three decades ago, I was invited to address a Palestinian American audience on the work that was needed to change American policy toward Palestinian rights. Also speaking at that event was a PLO representative who was briefing the group on the work being done at the United Nations to advance the Palestinian cause. It had not been my intention to have a debate, but that is precisely what happened. The issues we raised then, remain relevant today.

The context was important. Palestinians were in the midst of an Intifada and US attitudes were being impacted by Israel’s violent repression. One clear example of this change was the coalition we were able to build with support from the Jesse Jackson campaign. Together we passed pro-Palestinian platforms in 10 Democratic Party state conventions and had the first-ever debate and floor demonstration in support of Palestinian rights at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. It was clear that movement on the issue was possible. My presentation, therefore, focused on what we had done and what we felt still could be done to make real change in America.

The PLO representative spoke about their diplomatic strategy. He noted that despite being repeatedly stymied by US vetoes in the Security Council, Palestinians had won votes in the UN General Assembly by margins as large as 143 to 3. He then promised that if US policy continued to ignore or obstruct Palestinian rights, the PLO would return to the Security Council again in the fall to introduce yet another resolution.

At that point, I had to intervene. While I acknowledged that they had done an extraordinary job winning recognition from countries all over the world, I questioned the logic of going back to the Security Council to get yet another US veto. Wouldn’t it be better, I asked, to focus more effort on making change in the US, than to continue on the path that only led to frustrating defeats?

While much has changed in the past three decades, there are lessons to be learned from that old encounter.

In the first place, Palestinians have failed to adopt a political strategy to change the US, or to acknowledge that without that change, “victories” at the United Nations were, at best hollow symbolism.

By failing to engage American public opinion in a systematic way, Palestinians have squandered multiple opportunities. Instead of building support here, they have relied on what they assumed were statements of good will by American leaders–without recognizing that those leaders would turn on a dime when they faced pressure or hostile information campaigns by pro-Israel groups.

Here’s an example of a lost opportunity:

When Mahmoud Abbas succeeded Yasir Arafat as President of the Palestinian Authority, we were commissioned by a group of Palestinian businessmen to poll US attitudes toward the new PA president. We found that Abbas had a favorable rating of 53% and an unfavorable rating of only 16%. In our analysis, we noted that this finding, while positive, was precarious because Abbas’ rating had not been earned. Rather it was derivative of the fact that leading Republicans and Democrats were praising him because he wasn’t Arafat. We noted that these positive perceptions, however flimsy, provided an opportunity on which to build. We also cautioned that if work were not done to consolidate this favorable rating by directly engaging the American people, a counter assault by the Israelis would eat away at it.

And eat away they did with a relentless campaign to paint Abbas as an inciter of violence and a weak leader who repeatedly rejected peace offers. Both charges were patently false. But as Netanyahu and his far-right colleagues continued to harp on these themes, the Israeli campaign succeeded.

Ten years later, we did another poll of US public opinion in which we found that Abbas’ ratings had flipped. It was now 17% favorable to 56% unfavorable! These new atrociously high negatives were as unearned and undeserved as the earlier high positives.

Not learning the obvious lessons from all of this, the Palestinian leadership continues to operate as before. They assume President Trump’s good will, then express disappointment at his clear lack of commitment to their plight and silence in the face of aggressive Israeli behavior, and finally they threaten to go to the United Nations to pass yet another resolution. All the while, they fail to adopt a strategy to impact US opinion and the political setting in which Israel operates with impunity.

There is another observation to be made reflecting the unchecked ability of the Israeli side to use their political power and information campaigns to turn reality upside down. For years now, Israel’s supporters have angrily dismissed votes in the United Nations as “automatically pro-Palestinian”, motivated by fear of Arab blackmail, or driven by anti-Semitism. At the same time, they ignore the fact that pro-Israel US groups (including both AIPAC and its related PACs, and the Christian right) have used their political and financial clout to intimidate Congress making it “automatically pro-Israel”.

This year alone, over 30 pro-Israel bills have been introduced in Congress, almost evenly divided amongst those that call for: punishing the PA, supporting Israel’s claim to Jerusalem, threatening the UN, and imposing penalties on those who support boycotts against Israel.

Herein lies the dilemma. As long as Israel holds unparalleled sway in Washington, no progress toward Palestinian rights will be achieved and UN resolutions will either be met with vetoes, criticism from Congress, or threats that the US will withhold funds from the world body.

But this needn’t be the end of the story. There is a changing political climate in the US. In addition to Palestinians and Arab Americans, there is an increasingly strong progressive movement among American Jews, millennials, African Americans, mainline Protestants, libertarians and traditional conservatives–who support justice for Palestinians. They have come together, on their own, largely in reaction to Israeli behavior to push for change. The Palestinian leadership didn’t create this movement and they can’t direct it or interfere in its development, but they should factor it into a strategy for change. What they must do is recognize that it it’s there and act accordingly.

The Palestinian leadership needs to stop acting as if the only games in town are “initiatives” coming from the administration or votes at the UN. They need to recognize that American opinion is changing and develop confidence that it can change further.

They need to speak directly to the American people, especially those who are supportive of their rights. And they need to encourage and broadcast the kind of non-violent mass action that was on display during the recent crisis in Jerusalem. The road to change is a long one, but there is no other way forward.

James J. Zogby is the president of the Arab American Institute.

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10 Comments

  1. Any strategy which relies upon changing US public opinion is a waste of time. The mainstream media and the Congress are totally pro-Israel. The US president is doing sword-dances with important Arabs who side with Israel and don’t care about Palestine. So what the public thinks about Palestine is irrelevant, as on other national matters where corruption (not righteousness) rules.
    Israel has a long-term strategy of controlling all of Palestine as a means to foster its own security, in accordance with UN Resolution 242 which states that “every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force.” Israel is the only state in Palestine.

  2. Example: “Israel’s violent repression”- attacking everybody in a nation prevents developing individuals to join you in your cause. There are many in Israel that would like to help the Palestinians- attacking them with such phrases like “Israel’s violent repression” will and has turned them against Americans.

  3. Thanks for that interesting post . The observations presented here , are reasonable I must admit , yet , clearly wrong !! The respectable author of the post , ignores the positive or actual strategy of Mahmud Abbas , and highlights rather the missing one ( US public opinion ) over the actual one . And what was or is the actual one ?? Well , turning to the International arena as whole , and try to De-legitimize or undermine the Israeli state or leaders , all while avoiding , any terror acts , and violence in the West bank , and moreover : Cooperating with the IDF in order to prevent terror .

    So , when observing it , objectively , The result is clear , although bit illusive and not so tangibly observed , here :

    Growing impact of anti Zionism movements in the world . The ICC ( International criminal court ) has initiated preliminary investigation , and issuance of arrest warrants , are only matter of time . One resolution in the Security council ( While Obama was president ) condemning the settlements and more . And the establishment of serious ministry , with huge budget and resources , in Israel , for fighting BDS and alike all over the world , proves it actually . All that while or despite :

    Growing and growing sentiment of despise and hatred towards Muslims all over the world , due to terror attacks of Gihadists .

    When observed objectively , that is not at all negligible !! All while , one can’t change really ( for the time being ) the stance of republican politicians , due mainly to religious reasons .

    Thanks

  4. What the Palestinian leadership REALLY NEEDS is a change. More specifically, Mahmoud Abbas needs to go. As a witting,even eager, kapo for Israel, he has proven himself to be the Palestinians’ MAIN foe, their main problem. He has virtually declared war on Gaza, to the point of disregarding any and all basic humanitarian concerns. The West Bank is his own personal fiefdom, with the PA providing the muscle and “discipline.” It’s worth recalling that Hamas is far more legitimate than Abbas’s Fatah. Despite that, and everything else notwithstanding, I think the best thing the Palestinians can do right now is to solidify behind the leadership of Marwan Barghouti, imprisoned or not.

  5. The Palestinian grievance is entirely illegitimate, a self-created hardship, they were offered a good deal 1947, said no, went to war, and threw it away, and deserve nothing but conquest contempt and containment; and are in self-imposed internal exile and prison ever since, lather rinse repeat

    Every day they stall, their situation gets worse, Jews held out 2000 years for a deal, Pals are up to 75, get comfy guys, this will take a while

    The miserable Pals are blessed of a worthless God that they face Jews, who fight with civilized rules of engagement, were they fighting other Arabs / Muslims they would be like Syria or Iraq or Yemen or the massacres in Muslim Africa

    When we get really mad at them we will airdrop them into Syria and they can beg to come back to Israeli oppression

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