EDITORIAL: Talking Point: Condoleezza Rice Pushes Dialogue in the Middle East
By The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio
Feb. 21–Rare have been the meetings between Israeli leaders and their Palestinian counterparts to talk about the shape of a Palestinian state. Bill Clinton presided at such a gathering during the final days of his presidency, the two sides presented with the elements of an enduring agreement. Yasser Arafat balked at going further. On Monday, Condoleezza Rice renewed the effort, playing host to Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority.
The meeting accomplished little beyond a pledge to meet again “soon.” Olmert and Abbas didn’t appear with the secretary of state at the press conference following the two hours of talks. Rice reported that the two generally “discussed their views of the diplomatic and political horizon,” the latter her code words for the contours of a Palestinian state.
That said, the achievement shouldn’t be overlooked. The secretary reiterated her determination to press forward in seeking an agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. That kind of American commitment is just what is required, and has been missing for too long as turmoil has accelerated in the Middle East, from Lebanon to Iraq.
When Rice initially conceived of the meeting, she hoped to gain something more concrete. Then, Abbas agreed in principle to form a unity government between his Fatah faction and Hamas, the terrorist organization that controls the Palestinian legislature. Abbas argues this Mecca accord (brokered by Saudi Arabia) is necessary to end the deadly clashes among Palestinians. The trouble is, Hamas wants to drive Israel into the sea. Israelis aren’t about to negotiate with such an adversary. They rightly shouldn’t.
The task that Rice faced was difficult enough. For instance, neither Olmert nor Abbas has the political capital now to deliver an agreement. To her credit, the secretary hasn’t walked away. She has focused on a narrow opening, Abbas reflecting the many Palestinians who wish to reach a settlement with Israel. She reasons correctly: Better to engage Abbas than neglect the dialogue essential to clearing barriers.
In the end, her efforts may result in frustration. (Ask Bill Clinton.) Hamas may opt for defiance and bloodshed instead of negotiation and compromise. Yet this conflict demands American leadership, especially from a White House that has pledged to transform the Middle East.
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Copyright (c) 2007, The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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