Radio France – US Led Regional Peace Conference – Full Interview
Radio France Internationale: The American proposal to have a regional peace conference in the coming months has been immediately rejected by the radical Palestinian movement Hamas….
The reactions of Grant Smith, director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy.
Grant Smith: It is a step in which president Bush is moving somewhat toward reinitiating the peace process. Until now, this administration has made no credible effort to make parties adhere to the “roadmap for peace” and this is an opportunity to do that.
Systemically, all American lame duck presidents have a moment in which they can safely ignore the Israel lobby and attempt to do the right thing in the region. Clinton took advantage of this moment, and Bush could as well. It remains to be seen, however, whether Bush is only using this so-called initiative as yet another club against Hamas.
Unfortunately, with the conditions between Fatah and Hamas, and the Bush strategy of only supporting Fatah and shutting out Hamas, make it difficult because this strategy does not address the true power centers, and will not be recognized as a legitimate effort to reconcile the two factions.
In 1948 when Israel was formed, its most active terrorist groups such as Lehi and Stern were folded into the new Israeli government, with little opposition by world powers. It was controversial and difficult, particularly for the British, to simply “move on” and forget about the rampant assassinations, bombings and terror campaigns. Bush could “move on” as well. He could recognize and address the legitimate and real grievances that fuels Hamas. Bush could begin to act on behalf of the American people, rather than the narrow domestic interest groups and Israel lobbyists he is typically surrounded by. Now is the moment for a major, if only temporarily sustainable, improvement in US policy formulation.
Full Broadcast (MP3) in Spanish