The prospects of peace in the Middle East

Abstract

This address delves into the underpinnings of the current crisis in the occupied territories: the Bush administration's deemphasis on the Palestine problem to avoid confrontation with Israel over settlement policy; the designation of Sharon as a "man of peace" despite his history; rejection of any exploration of the political roots of 9/11; the deepening alliance between American Christian fundamentalism and Israel; the willful and gross distortion of the Palestinian stance at Camp David. Nonetheless, the author argues that the parameters of a settlement, reinforced by the Saudi initiative, remain the two-state solution, and it is up to Israel and the United States to respond.