Plumbing for optimism

Editorial

Though certainly not as reflective as Rosh Hashanah, the secular new year is a time of reflection and looking ahead. Compared with recent history, the past two years have been particularly sad on the international front. Terrorism has come to North America and remains a constant threat in the Middle East.

This time of year, however, calls for a certain degree of hopefulness and optimism, so we have plumbed current events to find something to be mildly positive about.

The leadership of the Palestinian Authority has promised this year to adopt the rudiments of democracy, promulgating a constitution and holding elections. It is hard to resist cynicism, believing as we do that such basic acts of self-determination should have been undertaken by the Palestinians in 1947-'48 – but we will sublimate that cynical view at least for the first week of this new year.

More optimistic than this primary statecraft is the news that Egyptian leaders will meet with Palestinian leaders to discuss issues including an end to homicidal bombings. This advancement could in fact prove to be a turning point of historic proportions.

Viewed as a single act of diplomacy between friends, the Egyptian-Palestinian meeting does not seem monumental. But one must remember the unequal relationship between the two parties and consider the role of Arab states in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to understand the meeting's true importance.

The Palestinian cause was taken up by Arab states not as an act of friendship between Arab peoples, but as an excuse to attack the very existence of the Jewish state. Neighboring Arab countries, particularly Jordan, have proven themselves to be the true oppressors of the Palestinian people.

Palestinian-Israeli peace depends on far more than an agreement between the two primary parties. For peaceful coexistence, Israel must have assurances not only from the Palestinians, but from the neighboring states that have funded and supported the Palestinian attacks.

That is why this Egyptian-Palestinian meeting could carry more significance than passive observers might think. If the Egyptians finally make clear that Palestinian terror will not be supported by the rest of the Arab world, that will have more impact on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict than any other factor, including internal Israeli politics.

Of course, Egypt is not "the rest of the Arab world." Indeed, it could be seen as a black sheep of the Arab world. But it's a start and this is a new year. We will find optimism where we can.

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