Rushing after a mirage

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There are striking similarities between Israel's departure from southern Lebanon in May 2000 and the events in Gaza over the past two weeks. This is no surprise, as events in the Arab-Israeli conflict have been seemingly moving in circles for years. The peace process industry of EU, American and UN officials, donor agencies, government-funded think tanks and NGOs, supported by the media, have created euphoria and false optimism following the passing away of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat last November, which has done much to pollute the political climate. Arafat's death supposedly opened a "window of opportunity" because, as Israeli and American propaganda claimed, he was not a "partner" and, alone, constituted the main "obstacle to peace". Propaganda efforts have also built up the Gaza "disengagement", surrounding it with the same kind of euphoria, complete with the claims that there is new "momentum" for restarting the dead peace process. All this lofty talk is proceeding with few people looking back to see what actually happened the previous time we were told that peace was knocking at the door.