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Nurture peace in Mideast
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THE latest Mideast ceasefire has been under threat recently. And a new round of international diplomatic initiative has already started. The catalyst for the peace drive was a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv on June 1, which killed 21 people (the deadliest attack against the Israelis in six years), prompting Israel to threaten military retaliation and Arafat to announce a ceasefire.\;
It is no good responding to killings with revenge, for it easily sparks a "tit-to-tat" cycle. Revenge, the plausible explanation for the suicide bombing itself, could easily have led to massive retribution. After the bomb blast, Israel tightened its blockade of Palestinian towns. It is blocking even Palestinian officials from travelling from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip. Thus, suicide bombers could further embitter the suffering Palestinians.\;
Peace is still possible in the Mideast. The ceasefire has led to a drop in violence and offered a potential breakthrough despite occasional bouts of gunfire and stone-throwing. \;
Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's restraint after the bombing is also a positive sign. Even before the nightclub bombing, Sharon had announced a unilateral ceasefire in response to a report by an international commission headed by former US Senator George Mitchell. After the bombing, the Israeli Government withheld its military hand. Sharon has rejected loud demands at home for retaliation against terrorist attacks and says he will pursue a policy of restraint and seek an understanding with the Palestinians. And the Israel has already began lifting its ban on the supply of fuel and gas from Israel to the West Bank and Gaza.\;
Arafat is also serious about peace. He pledged to do his utmost to achieve an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and to resume the peace talks after the bomb blast. It is encouraging that Arafat ordered his Palestinian Authority police to keep a lid on violence in the occupied territories and on acts of terrorism within Israel. \;
However, the latest ceasefire is still fragile. Mutual hatred and mistrust can not be eliminated overnight. Small clashes still continued after the bombing. Some terrorist organizations proclaimed that they would never lay down their arms and threatened more attacks. Sharon faces much pressure from within Israel for holding fire. In particular, both sides disagree over some key points of the Mitchell Report, which calls for a ceasefire and peace talks.\;
International pressure and diplomatic efforts are rational and necessary. A concerted international diplomatic effort can help to break the cycle of violence and rebuild confidence, bringing the Israelis and Palestinians back to political negotiations. Since the Oslo talks, it has become clear that the solution to the most difficult issues -- refugees, Jerusalem -- requires international pressure and peaceful bargaining. International effort now appears to be an effective way to curb escalation.\,
Some kind of fixed security mechanism under international supervision should be started now. US President Bush has sent CIA Director George Tenet and a special envoy to the Mideast to cement the ceasefire and oversee security talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. Tenet has been trying to re-establish weekly Palestinian-Israeli security meetings, a mechanism established during 1998 peace talks.
A necessary condition for ending the cycle of violence is the participation of many nations. The USA alone is a fragile diplomatic reed. Washington is co-ordinating its Mideast peace drive with the EU, UN and Russia.\,
A ceasefire alone is not enough for a permanent peace. There is still much to do on both sides. What is needed now is a concerted effort to target the peace process and stop the cycle of revenge. Both sides need more restraint and tolerance, enforce their recently declared ceasefire, curb angry public sentiment, and take precautions against provocation. The Israelis, in particular, should agree to halt all expansions of Jewish settlements, and must ease restrictions against the Palestinians. At the same time, the Palestinian side could do more to curb the extremists. Most importantly, both sides should co-operate actively with the mediating efforts of the international community and resume peace talks to rebuild trust rather than resort to harsh retaliations. \,
One thing never changes--violence historically has produced no significant relief. It is therefore crucial to acquire peaceful co-existence for the future of the region. Each suicide bombing only sows the seeds of war, which is against the will of those Israelis and Palestinians who are still yearning for peace.\;
The prolonged conflict started with Palestinian rioting and a brutal Israeli crackdown after Sharon made a controversial visit to a Jerusalem shrine last September. At least 450 Palestinians, 110 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have died since the revolt erupted.\,
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