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What Britain Can Do for Israeli-Palestinian Peace

(Guardian-UK) Lorna Fitzsimons - Good people look at a bad situation and want to help. At times like this, when direct talks are stalled, there is the temptation to try to short circuit the time-consuming process of negotiations and just impose our own idea of a solution. While such a dramatic gesture is tempting, a settlement imposed from the outside rarely works. It is more likely to breed resentment than solve problems. For a settlement to work it has to be agreed between the parties. As a new BICOM research paper shows, there is much that the UK can do. First, there is a need to create a regional environment conducive to peace by legitimizing the peace process in the Arab world and isolating spoilers. Second, we need to develop civil society and grassroots support for an agreement within Israeli and Palestinian societies and help promote a culture of peace. Third, we need to continue to assist the efforts of the Palestinian Authority to prepare for the creation of a functioning Palestinian state. The writer is chief executive of BICOM, the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre.
2010-12-14 09:17:12
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