(American Interest) Walter Russell Mead - Rethinking and re-imagining the road to Palestinian statehood: yes. Taking a more sober approach to a problem that is much thornier than many outside the region have grasped: yes. Proceeding with caution when the whole Middle East is in flames: definitely. Thinking comprehensively about the problems of the Palestinian people as a whole rather than just those in the West Bank and Gaza: absolutely, especially now that so many Palestinians in Syria have been made refugees once again. Insisting that the vagaries of American political cycles and presidential legacy hunts no longer drive the pace and timing of Middle East negotiations: please. Israelis will have to decide for themselves where their interests lie in these critical times. Let's hope they find a way forward that keeps the doors of peace open and safeguards the foundations of the U.S.-Israel alliance. The writer is professor of foreign affairs and humanities at Bard College and professor of American foreign policy at Yale University.
2015-03-19 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive