On Ability And Responsibility

Now Annapolis has launched a triple process: negotiations over the "core issues" of borders, Jerusalem and refugees; Palestinian institution-building under the guidance of Tony Blair, and reciprocal measures on the ground according to the 2003 Roadmap, which requires the Palestinians to halt terror and the Israelis to reduce the settlements. Progress on all three tracks will be possible only with strong U.S. prodding.

Will Bush and Rice deliver? Until now, their attempts to get involved in the Middle East have been creative but suffered from a lack of stamina and luck. Serious peacemaking requires insistence, persistence and a refusal to hide behind that old American mantra "We can't achieve peace if we want it more than the participants do." If Bush really intends to fulfill his pledge of Palestinian statehood while in office, he will have to do much more than host an occasional conference. He'll have to give his full backing to Rice and her diplomacy, and not hesitate to call the Israelis and Palestinians to order. Such efforts are unlikely in an American election year, when pressuring Israel is generally regarded as politically impossible. Given the gravity of the regional situation, however, and the dwindling time he has left, Bush may be tempted to intervene in earnest. If Annapolis was any guide to his intentions, we should give him the benefit of the doubt.

Benn is the diplomatic editor of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

© 2007