Another dark cloud

by George S. Hishmeh

April 22nd, 2005

The visit Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdullah starts next week to the United States, meeting President George Bush at his ranch, the second time he goes to Crawford, Texas, has the potential to further improve relations between the two governments which for more than 60 years have often seen eye-to-eye.

It coincides with the 60th anniversary of the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt who, some historians believe, was the greatest American president of the 20th century and is remembered by Arabs for his historic visit aboard a Navy destroyer in 1945 with King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and for establishing US-Saudi ties on a more solid footing.

Although the horrific attacks in September 2001 on the US mainland by Al Qaeda terrorists, most of whom were Saudi nationals, that resulted in the death of thousands, left an indelible mark on the relations between the two peoples. Yet, the strategic ties between Washington and Riyadh appear to be virtually back to normal.

Last week, however, a new black cloud seemed to cast its ugly shadow over the upcoming talks between the two leaders in Crawford. That cloud emanates from Israel's dogged plans to expand its illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank. This Israeli stance has already earned Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, sometimes known as "the bulldozer" for his expansionist policies, a first public scolding from Bush.

When the two leaders met earlier this month, for the first time in Crawford at the president's ranch, Bush told the visiting Israeli premier in no uncertain terms before the world press that there can be no expansion of settlements, in accordance with the Quartet-sponsored roadmap that both the Palestinians and Israelis have subscribed to. At the time, Israel was floating the idea that it intended to build 3,500 new apartments in the settlement of Maale Adumim, in the vicinity of Jerusalem, whose municipal boundaries are larger than Tel Aviv, in order to link the divided Holy City to the sprawling settlement. But this unilateral action would rob the projected Palestinian state of a contiguous existence and a direct link between the northern and southern regions of the West Bank. It would further isolate some 200,000 Palestinian Jerusalemites from their kinfolk and their lands in the outlying suburbs of Jerusalem.

As if that "small furor", as The New York Times described it, at the presidential ranch in Crawford were not enough, Israel is proceeding head on. The Times reported on April 19: "In effect, Israel under Mr Sharon is unilaterally moving to define its future borders with a Palestinian state ... with the `thickening' of settlements near Jerusalem and the Israeli border, and with a new route for the Israeli separation barrier approved by the Cabinet on Feb. 20."

In short, a new landgrab that by the Times' estimate will equal 8 per cent of the West Bank which, with the Gaza Strip, forms only 22 per cent of historic Palestine.

How the Saudi crown prince will handle this Israeli devil-may-care attitude on the eve of his visit remains to be seen. The Saudi leader, who had convinced his 22 fellow Arab leaders to sign a peace treaty with Israel should the latter withdraw to the 1967 armistice lines, also has a plateful of touchy issues that he needs to discuss with his American host. These include the escalating price of oil which is bound to affect the American, if not the world, economy, the ongoing confrontation with Al Qaeda-led terrorism inside Saudi Arabia, the slow-paced political reform programmes at home, the tinderbox in the Gulf where the turbulence in Iraq and Iran's alleged nuclear potential could touch off a regional or international conflagration. All these are issues vis-‎-vis which the Saudi government would appreciate American levelheadedness.

But Saudi Arabia's other major concern which has marred the relationship would be to find new and effective ways to win the hearts and minds of Americans, an issue where the Bush administration should lend a hand. The importance of Saudi Arabia to the well-being of the Americans cannot be overstressed, as shouldn't the issue of political and educational reforms to bring about a democratic regime that would provide the catalyst in this respect.

Once this is achieved and with the passage of time, the understandable antagonism that has lingered far too long to the detriment of the two sides will heal the relationship. But, as is often the case, Israel's expansionist designs may once again stand in the way of promoting Arab-American ties.

This article was published on the Friday-Saturday, April 22-23, 2005 edition of the Jordan Times. It is used here with permission.