A new track to Mideast peace
THE BUSH administration insists that it will maintain its boycott of the Palestinian Authority until it renounces violence and recognizes Israel. Given this stance, it will be difficult for the United States to re energize peace talks with Hamas playing a prominent role in the government of national unity. However, the United States and others can change the context of talks through projects that promote contact and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians. Not only would human interaction strengthen moderates in both societies, it would also have the added benefit of building support for a two-state solution.
Today both Israelis and Palestinians feel increasingly under siege. Palestinian contact with Israelis is largely limited to soldiers at checkpoints and armed settlers. To Palestinians, the contact is usually confrontational and humiliating. Israelis generally feel that Hamas's electoral sweep revealed the true face of the Palestinian people. Many believe the overwhelming number of Palestinians are committed to destroying Israel.
These stereotypes are not, however, representative of either Israeli or Palestinian societies.
Palestinians with whom I recently met in Ramallah were open-minded about engaging Israelis when such engagement garners measurable benefits. They insisted on two conditions: Their flexibility is not an endorsement of the status quo nor will they countenance any form of collaboration with settlers in the West Bank.
Israelis are also ready to engage Palestinians, despite government prohibitions against travel to the Palestinian territories. Since 2000, it has been nearly impossible for the two sides to meet, no less to work together. Moreover, failure to implement the November 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access has all but eliminated contact between Israelis and Palestinians. On the rare occasion when Israelis and Palestinians are able to develop joint projects with practical benefits to both sides, they lack the resources necessary for implementation.
So-called " track two " initiatives engage non state representatives in contact, communication, and cooperation yielding mutual benefit. Track two activities are not a substitute for official diplomacy, but they can create a climate that is conducive to official negotiations by eroding the violent culture of resistance that exists in Palestinian society and changing the negative perception of Israelis towards Palestinians. When official diplomacy fails, track two activities also serve as a safety net that can help mitigate the spiral of deadly violence.
Such efforts have been undertaken in the past. For example, President Clinton committed $10 million for joint Israeli-Palestinian projects at Wye River in 2000. The European Commission and bilateral donors like Norway have a long history of supporting people-to-people activities. These efforts did not catalyze sustainable peace. However, they did act as a counterweight to extremism at a time when the trend towards radicalization was rampant.
So late in its tenure, there is little hope that the Bush administration can broker a breakthrough agreement on Middle East peace. However, it can assist by sponsoring track two activities. As a reward for their governments deciding to restart negotiations on the basis of previous agreements, the United States should set-up a bi communal project fund as a "peace dividend" for Israeli and Palestinian non-governmental organizations.
The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity is trying to forge common cause between Israelis and Palestinians through activities that engage Israeli and Palestinian civil society in practical forms of cooperation.
The Foundation is encouraging Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian mayors to develop water management projects in the Jordan River Valley. We are exploring the transfer of medical supplies to health clinics in the West Bank, as well as surgeries for Palestinians in Israeli hospitals. An advisory committee of Nobel economists is contemplated to advise strategies for trade and investment between Israeli and Palestinian enterprises. We are also exploring regional academic cooperation and looking to assist collaborative scientific research.
By fostering contact and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians, the hope is to send a message: No people are better than another; no religion is holier; no child is needier.
Israel will only be safe and secure once a viable Palestinian state is established by its side. For the national aspirations of Palestinians to be realized, Palestine must be run by moderates. To this end, the Foundation and other groups can play a helpful role by bolstering moderate Palestinians. There may be no peace partner at present. However, we might help one emerge through activities that strengthen Palestinian civil society.
David L. Phillips is executive director of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity.
© Copyright The New York Times Company
