Prospects for Peace in the Middle East?

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    "North Africa",
    "Egypt",
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  "topics": [
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In The Media

Prospects for Peace in the Middle East?

The current protests in Tunisia and Egypt and the subsequent unrest in the region provide an incentive for Arab states to address political reform and the Arab-Israeli peace process in tandem.

By Marwan Muasher

Published on Feb 2, 2011

Source: Brian Lehrer Show

Speaking on the Brian Lehrer Show, Marwan Muasher said that one of the important U.S. foreign policy issues that will be affected by the riots in Tunisia and Egypt is the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The Arab-Israeli conflict has been used by dictators in the region to distract their citizen from demanding substantive political reforms, Muasher said. The current crisis will offer Arab states an opportunity to address political reform and peace in tandem.

Muasher called on Saudi Arabia to lead efforts towards a regional peace accord. Ultimately, the protests in Egypt and Tunisia may not catalyze instant change in other Arab countries, but “this reform issue is something that Arab governments can no longer ignore in their policies,” noted Muasher.

About the Author

Marwan Muasher

Vice President for Studies

Marwan Muasher is vice president for studies at Carnegie, where he oversees research in Washington and Beirut on the Middle East. Muasher served as foreign minister (2002–2004) and deputy prime minister (2004–2005) of Jordan, and his career has spanned the areas of diplomacy, development, civil society, and communications.

Recent Work

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Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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