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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Some suggestions for President-elect Obama, on ways to address the Israeli-Palestinian issue differently from the outgoing Bush Administration:

•Declare his determination to pursue from his first day in office, not the final six months, full peace between Israel and all its neighbors. Only by doing so can he win support among Israelis, Palestinians, the Congress, and the international partners we'll need to support this historic effort.

•Name an outstanding peace envoy to be resident full time in the region with authority over our missions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. He or she must have the presidential backing and stamina to withstand the pressures and pitfalls of a comprehensive peace process over the long haul. In addition, this envoy must have authority over all US interactions with the Palestinians and Israelis and later, with other parties, reporting directly to the president in collaboration with the National Security Adviser and secretary of State. Assisted with staff comprising the US government's foremost experts, this envoy would be the single US voice on this issue.

•Empower the envoy to engage with all parties to the conflict, regardless of current prohibitions, on all issues, overturning long-established policy.

•Fund a political and economic development process second only to those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These ideas are a good start. But first a cease-fire that actually ceases rocket attacks and armed invasions must be agreed upon. The author also doesn't mention how to get around Hamas' belief that Israel must be destroyed. That isn't exactly a position from which negotiations for peace can easily proceed.

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