A blank check - Annika Hernroth-Rothstein

by Annika Hernroth-Rothstein

During the press conference on Tuesday, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said the summit featured discussions on the peace process, on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and on the blossoming relationship between Sweden and Palestine after the official recognition. No word on any demands being made on Abbas or the PA for the riches received, nor was there any follow-up on the substantial aid given in previous years.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may well be the best paid man in the Middle East. In the mere 48 hours he spent in Sweden, he managed to bump up the aid given to Palestine by more than 100 percent, from 820 million shekels ($211 million) to 1.7 billion shekels ($440 million). 

If you're wondering what promises he had to make to acquire such wealth, the answer is: none, none at all. During the press conference on Tuesday, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said the summit featured discussions on the peace process, on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and on the blossoming relationship between Sweden and Palestine after the official recognition. No word on any demands being made on Abbas or the PA for the riches received, nor was there any follow-up on the substantial aid given in previous years. 

When making the decision to recognize Palestine, the Swedish government said it was a way of motivating and invigorating the peace process, and Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom echoed these words in the government's official foreign policy statement this Wednesday. The discerning reader may question this, however, especially since the EU's own financial investigation into the aid to the PA has found that the PA not only does not meet the basic provisions for receiving such aid, but that there also is proof of extended corruption, organized crime and failure to meet any and all demands for democratic reform. 

Had the Swedish government really been interested in motivating a peace process, one would assume it would have started by threatening to withhold existing aid until demands on democratic reform were met. Instead, it doubled the aid without asking for anything. This is not the action of a decisive pursuer of peace, but of an enabler, rewarding the partner for bad behavior. 

In Lofven's defense, it should be said that he reported having spoken to Abbas about the importance of cooperation with and respect for Israel, as well as the need for transparency and oversight when it comes to finances within the PA. Abbas himself said, in response to that statement, that an internal oversight committee had been formed to handle corruption and possible financial transgressions, and with that the issue was laid to rest. 

The press conference lasted no more than 30 minutes, following a meeting between Abbas, the Swedish delegation and the king of Sweden. Together they had celebrated the official opening of the Palestinian embassy in the heart of Stockholm, a step up from the interim offices they had previously occupied, not to mention an important statement to the world. The only somewhat hard-hitting questions had to do with Fatah's cooperation with Hamas and the upcoming Palestinian elections -- planned for this year but with a date yet to be determined. Abbas skillfully avoided answering the first, and as for the second he said that Fatah was ready to hold elections as soon as Hamas was, and that it would all be sorted out in time. It was an odd sight to see, the gathered press corps acting with timid respect toward a leader currently serving the 10th year of a four-year term. 

By now, Abbas is back in Ramallah, dealing with plummeting poll numbers and rumors of mutiny within the ranks. He left in weakness, but thanks to the Swedish government he returned in strength, having won not only financial victories but, more importantly, international recognition. 

This visit was the Social Democratic government's chance to redeem itself by demanding action from Abbas and proving itself to be more than a pro-Palestinian cheerleader. But that did not happen. Instead, it ended up handing the PA a blank check and a corner office -- no questions asked.

Annika Hernroth-Rothstein is a political adviser, activist and writer on the Middle East, religious affairs and global anti-Semitism.

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=11565

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