Needed: A Renewed International
Effort in the Middle East
A Discussion on the Role of the International Community
On June 28, 2007 the Palestine-Israel Journal held a public
discussion at the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem, featuring Prof.
Shlomo Ben-Ami, former Israeli Foreign Minister; and Dr. Saeb
Erekat, head of the PLO's Negotiations Department; and Dr. Daniel
Kurtzer, former American Ambassador to Israel. The event was
moderated by PIJ Co-Editor Ziad AbuZayyad and drew an audience of
over 130 journalists, diplomats, academics, students, activists and
members of the general public.
"Now is the time for a resurgent international role to promote a
revival of the peace process," Dr. Kurtzer said. Despite the
diplomatic paralysis, two factors make a renewed diplomatic effort
possible: the Arab Peace Initiative reaffirmed in Riyadh; and the
overtures from Syria, which "may be an opening through which to
resume the process." The international community must help align
the factors needed for its "achievability, viability and
acceptability," he said. But he expressed concern that former
British Prime Minister Tony Blair's appointment as the new Quartet
envoy might be an example of U.S. "outsourcing," with a limited
mandate.
Prof. Ben-Ami said that the peace process had failed due to
"failures within both the Israeli and Palestinian political
systems," which were paralyzed and "incapable of carrying out
historic decisions." He advocated a "robust international
presence," suggesting that Blair could initiate a ceasefire among
all factions and Israel's withdrawal from cities [that were
reoccupied], with the the EU and Arab states monitoring the
outcome. He called for a political solution-first strategy, i.e.,
"Make peace, then love."
Dr. Erekat reminded the international community of its humanitarian
obligation to the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza. He said that
the PLO remains the only legitimate address for negotiations, with
the only viable solution a two-state solution based on the 1967
borders with accompanying land swaps. "We don't need to negotiate
anymore, we need decisions," he said. "Palestinians and Israelis
cannot be forced by others to negotiate for peace; we need to
decide for ourselves that we want peace." He welcomed the Blair
appointment, saying that what was needed was "a concentrated effort
by the Quartet," with the aid of the Arab Peace Initiative.
Excerpts from the discussion can be found at:
www.pij.org/events.php.
