December 5, 2007

Op-ed by Chargé d’Affaires Alan Misenheimer 

Toward a Palestinian State


The November 27 Annapolis Conference was a dramatic launching point for serious negotiations to establish a Palestinian state and to secure a permanent Israeli-Palestinian peace. The issues that lie ahead are complex and difficult.  If they were not, peace would have been achieved a long time ago.  But difficult does not mean impossible. With the active support from the international community that we saw in Annapolis there is reason for optimism that Israeli-Palestinian peace can be achieved.  

The Annapolis Conference produced several major achievements. Key among them is that Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas will begin vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations to establish a Palestinian state and to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement by the end of 2008.  Negotiations are set to begin on December 12.  Importantly, for the first time in seven years these negotiations will address all of the core issues, including borders, refugees, security, water, settlements and Jerusalem.  

Another success of Annapolis was that it revealed broad international support for the courageous efforts made by the Israeli and Palestinian leaders.  Endorsements of the process came not only from Annapolis attendees, but from many other countries around the world, including Arab and Muslim nations.

The parties also agreed to proceed immediately with implementation of their respective obligations under the Roadmap to improve conditions on the ground for both sides, build trust, and lay the foundation for a two-state solution.  They jointly arranged to have the United States lead a mechanism to monitor and judge the fulfillment by both sides of those commitments. 

An important next step is a December 17 donors’ conference in Paris that the French Government will host in support of Palestinian reform and institution building.  This conference will be an essential opportunity for the international community to pledge tangible and generous assistance to the economic development of Palestinian society and to provide resources for the Palestinian Authority’s program of institutional building in preparation for statehood. We strongly encourage generous international support for the Palestinians at this important meeting.

The Palestinian people have waited a long time for the dignity that will come with an independent state; and the Israelis have waited a long time for a peaceful neighbor that can help to provide real security. This vision – two peaceful and democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side – is a major goal of the United States.  

The Annapolis Conference was the beginning of a new, serious and substantive effort to achieve peace.  Now is the time for all concerned countries throughout the world to redouble their efforts to support this bold initiative in every way possible.