The 48-year-old politician resigned just days before the Middle East peace plan ran into new stumbling blocks after a spate of Palestinian attacks–including a bus bombing in Jerusalem yesterday and a blast at a mall today–left at least 12 bystanders dead. The blasts began on the same weekend that Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon held talks with recently-appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (also known as Abu Mazen.) The attacks–as well as Erekat’s resignation–are seen as a setback for Abbas’s new government, underscoring both the internal Palestinian tension over Yasir Arafat’s leadership and Israeli doubts about Abbas’s ability to control such violence.
Erekat denies assertions that his resignation was part of a wider power struggle between Arafat and Abbas, or the result of his exclusion from the talks Saturday’s talks with Sharon. The Palestinian politician faults Washington for failing to press Sharon to accept the American peace plan known as the “road map” and he says Palestinian leaders must root out corruption in their ranks. Shortly after the Jerusalem bombing, Erekat spoke to NEWSWEEK’S Dan Ephron in the West Bank town of Jericho.
NEWSWEEK: What’s the real story behind your resignation?
Saeb Erekat: I came to the conclusion that it will be easier for the Pope to cancel Christmas Mass than for Sharon to accept the road map. I didn’t want to be taken for a ride and I didn’t want to be part of this game between Palestinians and Israelis any more….I have a broken heart. I’m a very sad person.
When did you conclude the road map wasn’t going to work?
I was in the meeting with [U.S. Secretary of State Colin] Powell [earlier this month in Jericho.] I was hoping that he will come and say the magic words–that President Bush will get Sharon to accept the road map. I listened very closely to what was said in the meeting…[Powell] said to us, “Don’t waste any more of your time on who accepts that plan and why. There are points in the road map that Sharon accepts, begin with them.” But that means we begin the process of fragmenting the road map.
You’re saying you concluded that the United States won’t do its part to bring Sharon along?
I did not say I’m giving up on President Bush….But I said that a bilateral meeting [between Sharon and Abbas] is the hiding place for Bush and Sharon. Because that’s the cost-free road.
But there were so many hopeless moments over the years. What makes things different now?
It has never been like this. You know what I told Powell? I said welcome to my town, Jericho, my constituency….You are in the lowest point on earth geographically and today Israeli and Palestinian relations are that low.
To what extent was the resignation bound up with the power struggle between Abbas and Yasir Arafat?
This is nonsense. You don’t know the inside story. There is no one who is more loyal to Arafat than Abu Mazen and no one who is more loyal to Abu Mazen than Arafat. This is the damn truth.
But I understand that Abbas didn’t want you in his cabinet in the first place.
Who says? You know what Abu Mazen did to me? He went to Arafat and recommended that I become the minister of negotiations….I told my wife I would accept this new post that they’re giving me, but I told her I would give it two weeks. If I don’t hear the magic words from the Israelis, I’m not going to be taken for a ride anymore.
Then why were you excluded from the team that went to see Sharon on Saturday?
Actually, all of this resignation business happened before the team was formed….But believe me, Israel is not the only thing responsible for my resignation. Much of it is what’s going on on the Palestinian side.
Internal issues?
I believe Palestinians deserve better. I believe Palestinians are going through a lot of things they should not be going through. I believe we need to make every possible step towards accountability, transparency, democracy and human rights.
Palestinians deserve better than what?
Better than the current situation.
And the current leadership?
And the current leadership, that’s true.
What’s wrong with the leadership?
We have a 99 percent literacy rate, which is similar to the Untied States and Britain. We have the most articulate people around, the most highly educated, the most decent and demanding. I don’t think we can function without full democracy. I don’t think we can function without people questioning who’s who and who gets what in the Palestinian leadership.
Who gets what in terms of authority? In terms of big cars and homes? What do you mean?
You know what corruption is. It’s when you get something you’re not supposed to get. And we’re not immune to corruption. And we’re no different than anyone else. And because we suffer, because we are under occupation, because 7,000 Palestinians are in jail, because we witness these killing fields everyday, we deserve the most accountable and transparent leadership.
But weren’t things heading in that direction?
I hope so. I have been seeking to discuss the law in the legislative council of illegal gains–you know, where did you get this? Where are these homes from [that Palestinian officials live in], these roofs and so on. I said in the speech in the council that my father died in Jericho hospital. I live in my father’s home. Were did my colleagues get all this? I don’t have a castle in Ramallah or one in Gaza or one in Egypt or one in Cairo or one in Amman. I don’t have a car in front of my house. I don’t own land.
And the corruption issue will become your main agenda?
I will maintain my political career as a Palestine Legislative Council member representing Jericho. My eyes are on the next elections and I hope that in the next elections there will be big things. I’m not going to speculate on anything regarding this but change will come through elections and democracy.
