New Opportunity for Peace in the Middle East

Abstract

The Middle East is one of the most dangerous regions of the globe, with ongoing conflicts in Lebanon, the West Bank, the Gulf, and Afghanistan. Over the last 40 years, the Arab-Israeli conflict has been the single most important factor shaping the history of the region and preventing the emergence of a more stable order. The first successful step toward a peaceful solution of this issue was taken with the Egyptian initiative of 1977, which resulted in the Camp David accords. While these accords led to the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, no agreement resulted on the Palestinian question. Further peace initiatives were stalled by the Israeli invasion of Lebanon; however, recent developments have created a more favorable climate for dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian problem. Resolution of this issue would clear the way toward solving the entire Arab-Israeli conflict. The United States has a central role to play in maintaining the current momentum. Uniquely able to act as a catalyst, it must help achieve a settlement that would strengthen moderates in the region and reduce the risk of Soviet-American confrontation. Such a settlement would create many dividends for the United States. © 1985, SAGE PUBLICATIONS. All rights reserved.