Community Voices Next Steps in the Mideast

One side is ready to compromise

The people of the Middle East - Israeli and Arab - badly need peace. Unfortunately, events of the last six months have shown that only one party, Israel, is ready to compromise for peace, educate its population for peace, and decide issues at the negotiating table and not through violence.

In electing Ariel Sharon, the Israeli public, as reflected in exit polls, is still ready to consider serious concessions, but only when it sees seriousness of purpose from the other side. The election of Sharon was a message to Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat: No negotiations will take place until Arafat fulfills a commitment made eight years ago, as part of the Oslo accords, and stops the violence.

Israelis are no longer confident that Arafat has truly abandoned his long-held goal of destroying Israel. If talks are to start again, Arafat must call, unequivocally, for the end of violence. It is time for him to prevent terrorism from within the Palestinian-controlled areas. It is also time for him to eliminate the anti-Semitic rhetoric of the Palestinian media.

The Palestinians had a chance to achieve complete independence - a state of their own - at Camp David. They turned it down and turned to violence. Now it's up to them to show that Israel really has a partner for peace.

Barry Morrison

Regional Director

Anti-Defamation League

Philadelphia

Underlying issue is quality of life

The peace process will never succeed until the average Palestinian feels he or she is better off than before. The lack of security for Israelis is directly traceable to this downtrodden state. It is easy to make Israel the enemy when its soldiers are so visible and the quality of life is not improving. Out of discouragement and despondency, the Palestinians vent their anger against the Israeli presence.

But the real answer lies with improved accountability from the Palestinian Authority for the millions it has received from donor agencies and international financial institutions. Until there is transparency in its accounting, the Palestinian Authority will not be able to assuage the discontent of the Palestinian population, which continues to suspect a high level of corrupt activities among those closest to Yasir Arafat. Therefore, the rocks will continue to be thrown at the easiest target, the Israeli soldiers.