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Middle East Peacemaking Has Failed

The Obama administration should focus on establishing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that can evolve into an armistice, providing the necessary stability for Palestinians to rebuild their political system and engage in meaningful negotiations.

by Nathan J. Brown

published by

Foreign Policy March

on March 1, 2009

Source: Foreign Policy March

Middle East Peacemaking Has FailedAddressing the international conference gathered in Egypt this week to discuss aid to Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made clear that her inclination is to continue precisely where the Bush administration left off -- using assistance to shore up the Palestinian government based in Ramallah, ignoring the Palestinian government based in Gaza, and hoping that the Ramallah government can realize enough success to help lead the path back to a two-state solution.

But if the past two years have shown nothing else, it is that showering Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad with help, hoping Hamas will disappear, and going through the motions of two-state diplomacy only opens the door to a darker future.

It is time to choose a different path.

The full article appears in Foreign Policy.

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