The preachers

The sight of Palestinian laborers crushed to the point of suffocation at the Erez checkpoint in the Gaza Strip, in order to increase their chances of crossing into Israel and finding a day′s work to support their families, is depressing and disturbing.

Apparently, however, the chances that their situation will improve are very slim in the current political-economic situation. Israel cannot give up the security checks if Palestinian terrorist groups don′t stop their attempts to attack at the entry gates. Even if Israel allows the entry of another few thousand laborers into its territory, and even if it withdraws from the Philadelphi route, the chances of a dramatic change in the Palestinians′ situation are slim.

On the other hand, if there is no change in the situation of the Gaza Strip residents, the distress and desperation there will intensify. Launching mortars and Qassam rockets at Israel will worsen their situation even further. In other words, the present state is bad for the Palestinians and terrible for Israel - and it is a disaster for the chances for peace.

This harsh picture, which in part is presented on our television screens, is also seen by masses of viewers in Arab countries. Most of the Arabs regard the distress of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as a subject that requires an exclusively Israeli solution. In a discussion with official Palestinian leaders, they opposed the idea of using the area to be evacuated in Gush Katif to help thousands of Palestinians who have lost their homes during the battles, for fear that Israel intends to use such an move as an excuse to do away with the demand for the right of return for the Palestinian refugees. They agreed that the assistance will be given only in the refugee camps, without moving people from there.

The distress of the Gaza Strip should be seen not only as a Palestinian-Israeli problem, but as a problem that directly affects the Arab countries as well. The irony is that, since 1993, when the Palestinians and Israelis began the process of arrangements and agreements, most of the Arab countries have continued to observe these events, including the difficult situation of the Gaza Strip residents, as though they were watching a play. An exception in this matter was the late King Hussein of Jordan, and today his son Abdullah.

In order to increase the chances of a compromise with Israel, Abdullah wanted to amend the Saudi proposal and that of the Arab League, and to have them recognize Israel even before the resolution of the conflict with the Palestinians. He encountered serious and cynical opposition on the part of Arab countries, and his proposal fell. The preaching to Israel on the part of Arab countries continues as usual.

If the wealthy Arab countries wanted to solve many of the hardships of the Gaza Strip, as well as other hardships of their Palestinian "brothers," they could easily do so. The latest increase in oil prices added more than $50 billion to their bank accounts, according to the estimates of economists. There would be a tremendous change for the better in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The problem is that the Arab countries are not even keeping their minimal promises to assist the Palestinian Authority. They want other countries - Japan, the United States and countries in Europe - to increase their contributions.

The disregard of Palestinian distress on the part of the Arab countries deepens the vacuum that the Iranians and the Al-Qaida extremists are trying to penetrate. In the final analysis, the Arab countries will also have to pay the bill. Apparently, those who claim there are Arab rulers who are interested in having the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continue, in order to divert the attention of the masses in their countries from their severe distress, are correct.