The Middle East is historically volatile, but now it is a political nightmare. Unlike the political theater that was Camp David, this fiasco has no script. On the line is not the legacy of any political leader, but the well-being of millions of Israelis and Palestinians. All sides must recognize that their primary objective should not be winning a public relations war or a military struggle, but achieving an enduring peace.
As a starting point, Israel must gradually remove its settlements from the Occupied Territories. The benefit accrued by placing Israelis in the West Bank and Gaza do not outweigh the harm it causes. More importantly, the violation of Palestinian sovereignty is a primary gripe of suicide bombers. One cannot expect the Palestinian people to embrace peace with Israel if Israel refuses to respect its territorial boundaries.
Israel should act unilaterally if it must; however, it is incumbent upon Chairman Yassir Arafat to contribute to the process. He must continually denounce suicide bombings - not just when American officials are in the region - in addition to cutting off support for state-sponsored terror. No lasting peace can emerge from a denunciation of terror that is not coupled with concrete and swift action.
The region is grossly unstable and demands American intervention. Whether the intervention is military in nature or not is irrelevant. In a war in which international perception is as important as body counts, the mere presence of Americans would reduce tensions. Neither Israelis nor the Palestinians would be willing to violate an American-backed cease fire for fear of shattering their moral pedestals.
The world must not take a wait-and-see attitude to the war. People - military and civilian - are losing their lives in terrible numbers and in inhumane ways. The international community should not watch as Palestinians blow up innocents with homemade explosives and as Israeli troops literally plow their ways through crowded streets.
This war is different from most other wars because the cost to civilians is unacceptable. Aside from the fact that hundreds of innocent Israelis and Palestinians have died in recent weeks, the average person fears for his or her life like never before. Palestinians hole themselves up in cellars and in caves to avoid the wrath of the Israeli army. Many Israeli citizens have ceased to go about their daily lives for fear of being blown up in public places. A political situation that causes civilians to be terrified even of going shopping for bare necessities cannot be tolerated.
The time has come for President Bush to take a concrete stand on the situation in Israel; It is incumbent on him to be a true ally of Israel and a dedicated foe of terrorism. He should start by abolishing the "Bush Doctrine" that calls for non-intervention in the Middle East. The doctrine is short-sighted and does not take into account for the despicable degradation of the quality of life in the Middle East.
Not until all sides come to a diplomatic conclusion will any resident of the Holy Land be able to live his or her life without fear.