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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 versus
  • "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)

    Turkish Government: We Are Uniquely Situated to Mediate

    July 11, 2007

    Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)

    Kerim Uras, Deputy Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations, spoke at the UN on June 7:

    “[T]he Palestinians and Israel must be assisted through bilateral, regional and international mechanisms in order to generate a change in their respective thinking and policies towards one another. Indeed, a constructive approach to initiate final status negotiations will alter the current psychology on the ground and eventually bring about the desired change. We must renew our efforts toward this aim and re-invigorate the peace process in order to achieve the desired results. In this context, Turkey believes that the Arab Peace Initiative, consolidated at the Arab League Summit held this year, represents a fresh opportunity and a suitable framework to revitalize meaningful negotiations. The initiative merits the support of the international community and the planned activities envisioned through this endeavor must be followed-up…

    “As Turkey enjoys the confidence of both Palestinians and Israelis, it is uniquely situated to complement and to facilitate efforts for a just, final and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian question. Turkey will continue its assistance to the Palestinian people in every capacity possible, with the hope that long-desired peace, security, prosperity and well-being of all peoples in the region could be achieved.”