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Journalism of Courage
US president George W. Bush8217;s new vision for the Middle East peace process is at best a very tentative and provisional one. While, at its core, he has re-emphasised the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security, he seems to be negating his own vision by insisting that Palestinians must change their leadership, probably in accordance with what Washington believes to be useful. He has called upon Palestinians to build a 8216;8216;practising democracy, based on tolerance and liberty8217;8217; and yet he has demanded a change of leadership interpreted mostly as seeking the replacement of Yasser Arafat. In fact, Arafat had already earlier announced elections to his post and the new legislature to be held in January next, with local elections to follow in March.
The problem with the Bush initiative is that it demands a great deal from the Palestinians without going beyond merely the hope of a provisional government at a future date with limited sovereignty. There is no clear time table, and major reforms that are sought would obviously take time. The US also fully knows that reversing terrorism and its wherewithal would remain a long-drawn-out process. Meanwhile, violence levels would tend to keep derailing peace prospects, as has happened earlier. The idea of a planned international peace conference appears to have been jettisoned. Under the new Bush initiative, Israel is to withdraw its forces from Palestinian territories to positions as on September 28, 2000. Full vacation from the occupied territories would remain in the distant future subject to bilateral negotiations.
