In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

09/04/08: From Zero-Sum to Win-Win —Mara Rudman, adviser, Middle East Progress; senior fellow, Center for American Progress. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.
09/04/08: How Progress Is Possible —
08/07/08: How to Deal with Jerusalem —Lt. Col. (Res.) Ron Shatzberg, Project Director, Economic Cooperation Foundation. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.

Setting the Record Straight

Two-State Solution Still Best Option

“In practical terms, we can reach two conclusions: First, a final-status agreement, although its details are known, cannot be secured in the foreseeable future. Second, the time has come to think about other solutions. One of them is a return not to the 1967 borders, but rather, to the reality that prevailed in 1967, when Jordan controlled the West Bank.”
—Major General (ret.) Giora Eiland, “The Jordanian Option,” YNet, September 3, 2008

"On both sides of the green line and, indeed, wherever people think about solutions to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, a lot of old/new thinking is taking place. … Most of these ideas are patently unrealistic. Discussion of them often reflects despair, not pragmatic strategic thinking. … Precisely because there is no such alternative, other options more readily suggest themselves, ranging from temporary conflict management to three states or entities. Nor does failure today mean that tomorrow we cannot try again to arrive at a two-state solution, which remains the best option for all."
—Yossi Alpher, coeditor of the bitterlemons family of internet publications & former director, Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, "One State Definitely Not an Option," bitterlemons.org, August 18, 2008

Middle East Analysis

How Progress Is Possible —Hiba Husseini, chair, Legal Committee to Final Status Negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis; former vice chairperson of the Palestine Securities Exchange (1998-May 2005). Interview with Middle East Bulletin.
Perils of an Israeli Transition —The New York Times, Editorial
The Arabs Will Look Differently Upon America —Ron Pundak, director general of the Peres Center for Peace and former architects and negotiators of the Oslo Agreement (bitterlemons.org)

The Quartet

June 27, 2007

The Middle East Quartet was launched in 2002 as a collaboration among the U.S., UN, European Union, and Russia to advance the Middle East Peace Process, and in particular, to implement the three-phase Road Map to a two-state solution articulated by President Bush.

Quartet members have met every few months. Former World Bank President James Wolfensohn was appointed as the group’s envoy to manage the transfer of assets following Israel’s unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

Following Hamas’s victory in Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January 2006, the Quartet members agreed to withhold aid to the Palestinian Authority until it committed to the principles of nonviolence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements.

This position did not change following the formation of a Palestinian unity government, although Hamas leader Khaled Mash’al was invited to Moscow.

Quartet members resumed aid to the emergency government formed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after Hamas’s takeover of the Gaza Strip last week.