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From: tclock@orion.oac.uci.edu (Tim Clock)
Subject: Re: Pease without justice cann't last Re: Last Opportunity for Peace
Nntp-Posting-Host: orion.oac.uci.edu
Message-ID: <2BF18745.17290@news.service.uci.edu>
Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Lines: 53
Date: 12 May 93 23:24:53 GMT
References: <1993Apr30.083345.15696@nuscc.nus.sg> <C6xKnC.285@ulowell.ulowell.edu>

In article <C6xKnC.285@ulowell.ulowell.edu> cshi@cs.ulowell.edu (Godada Shi) writes:
>In article <1993Apr30.083345.15696@nuscc.nus.sg> eng10511@nusunix1.nus.sg (RAM VIKASH TIWARY) writes:
>>
>>Now that all the parties are back to the negotiating table, the stakes 
>>as I see is are indeed high and the future stability of the region and 
>>perhaps the world is in the balance.
>>
>>	While Israel continues to refuse to talk to the PLO, labelling
>>it a "terrorist organisation", the window of opportunity for peace is
>>narrowing by the day.  If the present talks are allowed to deadlock
>>without agreement for a long term and lasting peace that taken into
>>account the interest of all involved, the chances of peace will indeed
>>receed.  The PLO, by its decision to rejoin the talks, has staked its
>>reputation on the success of the talks.  The longer the talks continue,
>>and they started 1 and half years ago, without any tangible progress,
>>the further will the PLO support in the territories erode.
>>
>>If a land for peace agreement can be reached, and real soon, the chances
>>of a comprehensive peace treaty is good.  The Arabs, once and for all,
>>recognise Israel's right to exist inside secure borders, and Isreal
>>would in turn recognise the legitimate right of the Palestinians to self
>>deternimation and statehood.  With peace guarantee by air tight
>>treaties, the region can then hope to dwell on the economic and social
>>well being of its population, rather than prepare for the next war.
>>
>>Ram Vikash Tiwary                      
>
As we see right now, the position of influence enjoyed by parties favoring
the negotiation process is tenuous at best. The local "elections" in Hebron
that the PLO was expected to win (perhaps adding a bit to its flagging
position of "legitimacy" in the eyes of Palestinians and the Middle East)
have been disrupted by Hamas actions overtly directed towards
undermining those (and all West Bank) elections. The present ruling Israeli 
Labor coalition seems to be one rather thin political ice. The Palestinian
delegation has been reduced from 14 to three to protest Israel "lack of
seriousness" in the talks and refusal to reverse all the deportations
immediately.

Hopefully, however, each of the parties will begin to learn that just
the fact that negotiations are taking place *does not mean* they are giving 
anything away to "the other side" (which was/is the favorite argument of 
the "rejectionists"). Let's hope that discusion and inevitable disagreement
on major issues leads at the same time to some agreement on smaller
"interim" ("phase", whatever term we prefer) steps to be taken.  




--
Tim Clock                                   Ph.D./Graduate student
UCI  tel#: 714,8565361                      Department of Politics and Society
     fax#: 714,8568441                      University of California - Irvine
Home tel#: 714,8563446                      Irvine, CA 92717
