No Road Map, no Annapolis
Hillary Clinton's first visit to the Middle East as Secty. of State has been marked by a very positive interaction in Israel. After attending the Donor's Conference in Egypt, where she pledged m$900 on behalf of the US to Palestinian causes (m$300 towards Gaza reconstruction and m$600 investment in the PA in the West Bank), and where she reiterated the US's commitment to Israel and criticized Hamas for continuing to fire rockets into Israeli territory, she was poised for a positive visit to Israel. Since Clinton was Senator from NY and had a very Jewish constituency, she is familiar with Israel and with its problems, and has been very supportive in the past.
In Israel she met with Pres. Peres, PM Olmert, FM Livni and PM-designate Netanyahu. Her meeting with Netanyahu, that many thought might be less than stellar, was in fact very positive. It was very notable that nowhere in any meeting did she mention "the Road Map to peace" or "Annapolis," both of which were closely identified with former Pres. Bush. While she touted the "two state solution" as "inevitable" and "inescapable" she also admitted a desire for "new thinking" on behalf of the Obama Administration.
This went down well with Netanyahu, since he does not oppose a "two state solution", and in fact he was engaged in negotiations with the PA during his previous term ten years ago that led to the division of Hebron. But, he is currently reluctant to admit that publicly so as not to upset any of his right wing partners on whom he will depend to form a coalition, since neither Kadima nor Labor are interested in joining him. Netanyahu himself believes that the way to achieve peace, and eventually a "two state solution," will be through bottom up support for the PA, raising the economic and educational level of ordinary Palestinians in order to free them from the control of parties whose existence depends on portraying Israel as the enemy. The hope of this approach is that once the people themselves see that Israel is not interestd in "occupying" them and truly wants peace and they experience a higher standard of living, they will also reject the old political formulas of the past.
Even if this is a vain hope, it is an example of "new thinking" that the Obama Administration could embrace, and is consistent with the idea of providing development funds to the PA as well as avoiding prior political recipes. It also has the advantage from the point of view of Netanyahu's right wing political partners of holding off the rush to a political settlement involving a Palestinian State, but rather puts progress of the Palestinian people towards prosperity and peace first. Many would say this is the right order and that previous unsuccessful attempts were putting the cart before the horse!
Today Clinton is visiting Ramallah where she will meet with Pres. Abbas and PM Fayyad. She will try to persuade them to be transparent in their handling of the vast sums of money being poured on them by the US and the world, but ultimately she knows that this is a futile hope.
In Israel she met with Pres. Peres, PM Olmert, FM Livni and PM-designate Netanyahu. Her meeting with Netanyahu, that many thought might be less than stellar, was in fact very positive. It was very notable that nowhere in any meeting did she mention "the Road Map to peace" or "Annapolis," both of which were closely identified with former Pres. Bush. While she touted the "two state solution" as "inevitable" and "inescapable" she also admitted a desire for "new thinking" on behalf of the Obama Administration.
This went down well with Netanyahu, since he does not oppose a "two state solution", and in fact he was engaged in negotiations with the PA during his previous term ten years ago that led to the division of Hebron. But, he is currently reluctant to admit that publicly so as not to upset any of his right wing partners on whom he will depend to form a coalition, since neither Kadima nor Labor are interested in joining him. Netanyahu himself believes that the way to achieve peace, and eventually a "two state solution," will be through bottom up support for the PA, raising the economic and educational level of ordinary Palestinians in order to free them from the control of parties whose existence depends on portraying Israel as the enemy. The hope of this approach is that once the people themselves see that Israel is not interestd in "occupying" them and truly wants peace and they experience a higher standard of living, they will also reject the old political formulas of the past.
Even if this is a vain hope, it is an example of "new thinking" that the Obama Administration could embrace, and is consistent with the idea of providing development funds to the PA as well as avoiding prior political recipes. It also has the advantage from the point of view of Netanyahu's right wing political partners of holding off the rush to a political settlement involving a Palestinian State, but rather puts progress of the Palestinian people towards prosperity and peace first. Many would say this is the right order and that previous unsuccessful attempts were putting the cart before the horse!
Today Clinton is visiting Ramallah where she will meet with Pres. Abbas and PM Fayyad. She will try to persuade them to be transparent in their handling of the vast sums of money being poured on them by the US and the world, but ultimately she knows that this is a futile hope.
posted by Jack Cohen at 8:58 PM
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