Yossi Beilin-The war is over. What's Next?
There is much that can be said about the recent war in Gaza, but the most important thing is that the fighting is over. we must look ahead and chart the course forward.
Dear friends,
There is much that can be said about the recent war in Gaza, but the most important thing is that the fighting is over. And although it remains too early to tell what the long-term consequences of this violent episode will be, we can - indeed, must - look ahead and chart the course forward.
In doing go, I can identify several positive developments. First, the recent violence has put the Israeli-Palestinian conflict back on center stage, both domestically and internationally. Domestically, this is important in view of the general elections that will be taking place on February 10, elections that will now focus with greater urgency on the very question of whether Israel should advance peace agreements with its neighbors. Internationally, this is vital given that these elections will apparently yield a rather hesitant - if not reluctant - coalition government, and that international encouragement and involvement in advancing the peace process will therefore be essential.
In this context, the inauguration of the Obama administration augurs a necessary and welcome change in Washington, one that has already breathed new life into the peace process with the appointment of George Mitchell as special envoy to the Middle East. As I see it, the speed and resolve with which former Senator George Mitchell was appointed signify that the Obama administration intends to act immediately, even before the Israeli general elections, scheduled for February 10. This is good news.
Now you may ask, What can Washington hope to achieve in the two weeks before the Israeli elections? And I say, much. For in my opinion, the most important thing is to take stock of the progress made over the past year and a half in order to prepare the ground for their continuation as soon as Israel has a new prime minister at hand.
To do this, Mitchell should dedicate his forthcoming visit to the area (later this week) to meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in order to determine, in the most specific terms possible, the real gaps between them at the time their talks came to a halt.
If these positions were revealed to Mitchell, I am pretty sure he would learn that the gaps between Israel and the Palestinians on all the thorniest issues - including Jerusalem and refugees - have never been smaller. And yet since gaps remain, Mitchell's task will then be to sketch out his own mediating ideas. I would not be surprised if these ideas would bear a strong resemblance to President Clinton's parameters for the Israeli-Palestinian track and to the Geneva Initiative, which was based on those parameters.
If he accomplished this much, Washington will have a clear reference point from which to urge the new Israeli prime minister and the Palestinian president to continue their negotiations in several weeks' time. This will be no small feat, and a good starting point for what might be the concluding (because successful) chapter to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.
Yours,
Yossi Beilin