Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)
A real opening was achieved this past week – and the next step is to embrace the challenges that lie ahead and acknowledge that the tasks are difficult. Pragmatic acknowledgement of the scorecard of issues to be addressed is a key step in planning for moving forward in the process. It is also important for holding all sides accountable to the commitments that they have made.
The tasks are considerable for both Israelis and Palestinians on the security front. Palestinians face a major challenge in achieving political consolidation that can serve as a foundation for stability and prosperity. They will need a great deal of outside help to reestablish law and order, disband independent militias, and stop rockets from being fired into Israeli territory by terrorists. Gaza presents particular challenges after the violent coup conducted by Hamas in June. The international community must dedicate more efforts to addressing the humanitarian implications facing the 1.5 million Gazans as a result of this lack of security and a largely stifled economy. Israeli and Palestinian authorities must work together to reduce the barriers that impede Palestinians’ ability to travel and have access to trade and goods. Israel must also freeze settlement activity, remove illegal settlement outposts, and make preparations for relocating settlers as borders are determined in final status negotiations. Finally, both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders must prepare their publics for some difficult compromises on the toughest issues – including refugees, Jersualem, final borders, and the status of settlements. Access the full article>>