Palestinian Investors Convention In Bethlehem: Who Ya Gonna Believe?

Ephraim Sneh writes about being in Bethlehem

where I was invited to attend the Palestinian Investors Convention, though not as a potential investor. Over 1,200 business people from the West Bank, Gaza and the Gulf States attended the event. Security arrangements under the responsibility of Palestinian Authority security forces were effective and professional. Palestinian companies delivered their presentations with professionalism on an international scale. On Thursday afternoon, the foreign investment deals that were signed passed the $1 billion mark. However, even before one job is created in the West Bank, it can be said that the convention's biggest achievement was its mere existence.

I met with PA Prime Minister Salaam Fayad, who initiated the convention and remains the main reason for its success. He proved that under his leadership, the West Bank is becoming a place in which investors are prepared to conduct business. Security forces that were deployed in Jenin and Nablus - and who reached Bethlehem to secure the convention - significantly changed the face of personal security and public order. The convention was a show of force against Hamas. A non-violent show of force proving that modernism and economic development trumps Hamas' dark terrorism.

Though the event did receive some media coverage in Israel, I regret that no other Israeli MK, no other Israeli official and none of the media's Arab affairs correspondents were present. I did meet a small number of Israeli businessmen who decided to break through for the sake of economic cooperation.

Things are happening on the other side of the fence, and in Israel no one is listening. If we strengthen the Palestinian economy and help it develop - and we are capable of doing so - we will essentially be strengthening the moderates and those who oppose terror. Therefore, I dismiss the term "a gesture to the Palestinians" when referring to the dismantling of a roadblock or as a step toward strengthening the Palestinian economy as nonsense. Such acts first and foremost serve Israel's interests.

Contrary to what Sneh writes, it appears that it is not only in Israel that no one is listening. Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed--the general manager of Al -Arabiya television and former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat--presents a contrary view:

The Palestinian Authority failed last week to attract the interest of Arab governments and major economic establishments to help it develop its economy. No one appears to be willing to consider Palestine more than just an issue of political conflict with Israel. The conference's failure proved that the Palestinians would not get Arab support unless an Israeli shell fell on the Intercontinental Hotel, the conference venue, and Palestinian television showed scenes of bodies, wounded, blood, and shouts. No aid without disasters. This is the only emotional engine. As to the rational engine for confronting the occupation, backing the steadfastness, helping the human being in his daily life, or investing for the future in the occupied territories is something that is totally beyond Arab thinking.

We complain too much that Iran is feeding the Palestinians rockets and explosives and spending liberally on the extremists and the political sabotage plans for its own purposes but what are we giving to the other Palestinian side? Practically, very little.

But he does have a solution--albeit tongue-in-cheek:

Had the masses of Arabs paid the cost of tickets for watching the Palestinian tragedy during the past years in the way they pay for watching horror and comedy movies or renting videos, President Mahmud Abbas would not probably have been in need for a conference to support investments.

Not to worry--Hamas is probably working on that.

Boker Tov, Boulder has covered this conference in detail here, here, and here.

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