What if You Threw a Peace Party and Everyone Showed Up?
Dr. Laurie Eisenberg, my Middle East professor at Pitt (brilliant brilliant brilliant), used to point out that the reason why Iraq and Iran could be so intransigent towards Israel was because it didn't cost them anything. Egypt and Jordan have to deal with a powerful Jewish state right on their borders - and so they have an incentive to show some flexibility. Similarly, Egyptian officials know their opposite Israeli numbers intimately - wives, children, tastes, etc (although which direction this cuts in when it's time to actually make peace is an open question). So it should come as no surprise that, now that the Palestinians seem to have exhausted themselves, the Egyptians are the ones who understand Israeli redlines:
In addition, the official said, Mubarak is trying to enlist other Arab governments to back disengagement and closer ties with Israel to make the idea of warming ties and sending Egypt's ambassador back to Israel more palatable to his own public. Jerusalem feels that Tuesday's report from Egypt's official Middle East News Agency claiming that Cairo reached a framework understanding with Israel, the PA, Europe and the EU on final status issues - a report denied in Israel - is all part of the government's desire to prepare the Egyptian people for a dramatic improvement of ties with Israel.
Compare that with the patronizing, superior attitude taken by the British:
Israel is increasingly wary that British Prime Minister Tony Blair will use his impending visit to Israel to force the pace of the peace process as he promotes his own Middle East conference following the death of PA Chairman Yasser Arafat... Although Ariel Sharon will embrace Blair as a "great friend" of Israel when the latter arrives for the two-day visit on December 21, concern is increasing in Jerusalem at Britain's attempts to force a greater role for Europe in ending the conflict. Sharon has denounced Europe as pro-Palestinian and, earlier this year, said he did not feel the need to negotiate with anyone but the White House.
More immediately, Israel is skeptical about Blair's proposal for a Middle East conference in the new year. It is concerned the meeting will bypass the first phase of the Road Map, particularly the requirement for the Palestinian leadership to curb violence, and push on to the second phase which foresees the creation of a provisional Palestinian state.
I'd be concerned too. The last time Blair held one of these little peace process get-togethers, Israel wasn't invivted. Screw Europe.
In addition, the official said, Mubarak is trying to enlist other Arab governments to back disengagement and closer ties with Israel to make the idea of warming ties and sending Egypt's ambassador back to Israel more palatable to his own public. Jerusalem feels that Tuesday's report from Egypt's official Middle East News Agency claiming that Cairo reached a framework understanding with Israel, the PA, Europe and the EU on final status issues - a report denied in Israel - is all part of the government's desire to prepare the Egyptian people for a dramatic improvement of ties with Israel.
Compare that with the patronizing, superior attitude taken by the British:
Israel is increasingly wary that British Prime Minister Tony Blair will use his impending visit to Israel to force the pace of the peace process as he promotes his own Middle East conference following the death of PA Chairman Yasser Arafat... Although Ariel Sharon will embrace Blair as a "great friend" of Israel when the latter arrives for the two-day visit on December 21, concern is increasing in Jerusalem at Britain's attempts to force a greater role for Europe in ending the conflict. Sharon has denounced Europe as pro-Palestinian and, earlier this year, said he did not feel the need to negotiate with anyone but the White House.
More immediately, Israel is skeptical about Blair's proposal for a Middle East conference in the new year. It is concerned the meeting will bypass the first phase of the Road Map, particularly the requirement for the Palestinian leadership to curb violence, and push on to the second phase which foresees the creation of a provisional Palestinian state.
I'd be concerned too. The last time Blair held one of these little peace process get-togethers, Israel wasn't invivted. Screw Europe.
