by Zoumana Coulibaly

Created on: December 31, 2008

Peace in the middle east is understood by a resolution of the more than half century long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But, the resolution of the conflict will not mark the beginning of peace in the region but the end of a long and enduring process leading to true peace.

During this process, many sacrifices will have to be made on both sides and surely many lives will be lost; but, the resulting outcome is worth the wait. There are two major indirect entities that will have to play there parts for the first obstacles to peace to be removed. These entities are the United States and the Arab States.

1- The Arabs States need to fully get along with each other. Indeed, there is a conflict of interest on who will be the leading state in the region. This conflict of interest is reflected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Indeed, the Arab League has been unable to issue a sound plan for the resolution of the conflict and the Palestinian refugees have not been given citizenship of their host countries among others. Until there is a strong will by those states to work for the Palestinian, this destructive conflict of interest will not stop. Moreover, the rise to power of new Arab leader supported by the Arab themselves will be salutary for the Palestinians.

2-The immediate corollary will have to be a remodeling of the Arab League. Indeed, the league was supposed to be the official voice of the its member states. So far, it has been unable to carve a road map for the decent treatment of the Palestinian refugees and a resolution of the conflict.

3-Suicide bombings and attacks do not work and will not work. The military firepower of Israel and its allies are too strong to be overcome by few desperate people blowing themselves up. The new and remodeled Arab League will have to issue a statement and concretely act against those attacks.

4- Simultaneously, the United States will have to engage in a discrete and frank diplomatic ballet with Israel. This will mean the temporary end of colonization and the strategic withdrawal from lands formerly occupied by Palestinians among others.

5-For a country to defend its citizens is perfectly normal, but the deliberate use of force will have to stop and be denounced by the United States as the renovated Arab League will have to do with suicide bombings.

When these indirect but huge acts will be completed, then the stage will be set for the final obstacle to peace in the middle east , which is the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, to be removed.

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