September 26, 2002	Thursday	Rajab 18, 1423

LONDON: That the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Iraq crisis are inextricably linked becomes more obvious almost by the day. Common sense suggests that a lasting solution to one is unlikely, if not impossible, without a solution to the other. Tony Blair seems to understand this. He noted the other day that the Arab world’s “genuine resentment” at the moribund state of the Middle East peace process may adversely affect western efforts to pressure Saddam Hussein.

Blair’s call for an international conference to jump-start the process should not be seen, despite its suspect timing, as a mere ploy to placate regional feeling and smooth the path to Baghdad. Blair has repeatedly and rightly urged the Bush administration to address the problem with greater urgency. He did so again during his recent Camp David visit.

If Saddam has moved beyond containment and is clambering out of his box, as Blair fears, then all the more reason to stop him exploiting Arab-Israeli tensions to bolster his position. To do this, the peace process must be revived and a heads-of-government conference, with everything on the table, is as good a way as any.

Iraq also understands linkage. It loses no opportunity to identify its cause with that of the Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims generally. Thus the regime’s disingenuous response to Blair, labelling him a purveyor of “Zionist lies”.

Nor does Israel fail to see the connection. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has told the US (and Baghdad) that, unlike 1991, Israel will strike back hard if attacked by Iraq, whatever the risk of regional escalation. Indeed, Israel may be trying to turn these worries to its own advantage. Publicity has been given this week to the arrest by Shin Bet of three Palestinians allegedly trained in terrorist camps in Iraq. This follows claims in Israel that Iraq has stepped up its arming and funding of the Palestinian Authority and terror groups.

Meanwhile, Sharon hijacks the US “war on terror” to justify all manner of depredations in the occupied territories.

Only the Bush administration rejects the link, refusing to accept that the Palestine and Iraq questions require cotermirminous answers. It opts instead tacitly to “freeze” the peace process while it deals with Saddam. This approach invites disaster on both fronts. Instead, Sharon should abide by Monday’s UN resolution and curb his latest excesses in Ramallah and Gaza. Palestinian leaders such as Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Mohammed Dahlan must be encouraged in their current efforts to end Palestinian violence and advance reform.

Concerted international action in pursuit of the two principles of which Blair spoke, a secure Israel and a viable Palestine, must quickly follow. If the US really wants to disarm Saddam, then fairly, fully and finally resolving this poisonous issue is one of the very best ways to do it.—Dawn/The Guardian News Service.