A Two State Solution

2010 Must Be Showtime for Mideast Peace

As 2009 draws to a close, we are bombarded by the annual litany of commentary features recapping the year in Hollywood movies to the year in international conflict, and everything in between.

When it comes to the Middle East peace process, current conventional wisdom suggests the 2009 recap might go something like this: 

A Palestinian View: A crucial but problematic triangle

For good but different reasons, their respective relations with the United States are of central and utmost importance to both Palestinians and Israelis.

As the US is the world's leading power, it is the most influential potential mediator between them. Israel is completely dependent for its overwhelming superiority on the near unquestioned military, economic and diplomatic support it receives from the US. The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, is dependent on international support and international diplomacy, both shaped by the US.

An Israeli View: Criminal neglect

There can be little doubt that Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu won the first round of Israeli-Palestinian engagement with the Obama administration--and that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas lost. Netanyahu executed a partial and problematic settlement construction freeze "balanced" by settlement provocations in Jerusalem and elsewhere. He was rewarded with US support for his readiness to open negotiations while his right-wing coalition stood behind him. Abbas misread American promises and assurances regarding the freeze and the Goldstone report.

Olmert peace plan made public

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert proposed swapping land with the Palestinians for major settlement blocs in the West Bank as part of his peace plan, as detailed in a map released to Haaretz. Olmert's plan, which was presented to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in September 2008, would have involved the transfer of 327 square kilometers of land within the Green Line to the Palestinians, while annexing 6.3 per cent of the West Bank to Israel.

An Israeli View: Dealing with Mr. Yes and No

Back in the days of Binyamin Netanyahu's first term as prime minister, more than ten years ago, he was satirized as Mr. Yes and No. For every "yes" he delivered to US President Bill Clinton or PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, there was also a "no" or, if you like, a "yes" to the settlers and other opponents of the peace process. That appears to be where we are today, once again.

A Palestinian View: The ball is now with the international community

Binyamin Netanyahu's announcement in late November that his government would implement a settlement freeze was not taken seriously by Palestinians, Arabs or other interested and involved parties.

Palestinians warned that the announcement amounted to no more than a public relations gimmick aimed at reducing growing international criticism of Israel's settlement expansion policies. Palestinian officials made clear that the Israeli "freeze" did not signal any change to Israeli settlement expansion, which is responsible for preventing the resumption of negotiations.

The Jordanian Predicament

At the end of the War of Independence – the outcome of the Arab rejection of the Partition Plan – 600,000 Palestinians became refugees in Arab states, especially Jordan. Until 1988, the Palestinians were not included in the global agenda and negotiations on the future of the West Bank were carried out directly between Israel and Jordan. Many Israeli political leaders at the time regarded Jordan as the Palestinian homeland, and cited the growing Palestinian population there as validation of this view.

Rep. Wexler sends letter of optimism for Middle East peace to Congress

Steve Clemons at the Washington Note reports today that Rep. Robert Wexler, who will be leaving Congress soon to head the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation, sent a letter to other members of Congress noting increasing support among Israelis toward President Obama, and stressing the need for Obama to address Israelis directly with a clear proposal to move the peace process forward.

EU Recognition of a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its Capital

INSS Insight No. 147, December 10, 2009

The declaration by EU heads of state on December 8, 2009 about the political process in the Middle East is no cause for anxiety. However, neither should it be dismissed lightly, and we would do well to examine its long term implications.