- +1
Amr Hamzawy, Andrew Leber, Eric Lob, …
{
"authors": [
"Marwan Muasher"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center"
],
"collections": [
"Arab Awakening"
],
"englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "MEP",
"programs": [
"Middle East"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"Middle East",
"Israel",
"North Africa",
"Palestine",
"Levant",
"Maghreb"
],
"topics": [
"Political Reform",
"Security"
]
}Source: Getty
Political Will Needed for the Arab Israeli Peace Process
The parameters of the Arab-Israeli peace process are known. What is needed is the political will.
Source: WNYC Brian Lehrer Show
“Post-independence, no Arab country has given serious attention to putting into place democratic institutions that would ensure a culture of pluralism,” argued Carnegie’s Marwan Muasher on the Brian Lehrer Show. “If the second Arab awakening is to be finally successful, it has to go beyond getting rid of despotic rule and putting in place the necessary pillars for a democratic society.” The United States for a long time prioritized stability over reform in the Arab world and did not pay much attention to the domestic challenges facing these countries in the region, he said. While the process of democratization needs to be homegrown, the United States should support it and let the process evolve on its own.
Turning to the Arab-Israeli peace process, Muasher argued that the U.S. failure to carry through a successful peace process has undermined the U.S. reputation in the Arab world. “We know what the solution is. The problem is not finding a solution, but finding a credible path to get us there,” he said, contending that the more time the process is given, the less of a chance there is for a two state solution. “The parameters are known, what is needed is the political will,” he added.
About the Author
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.
- The Myriad Problems With the Iran CeasefireQ&A
- The Iran War Is Uncovering the Weakness in U.S.-Gulf TiesCommentary
Marwan Muasher
Recent Work
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.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Taking the Pulse: Enough with the Annual NATO Summits, Already?Commentary
Over the past ten years, NATO has held almost as many summits as it did during the entirety of the Cold War. Are they still useful, or is it time to stop holding annual meetings?
Rym Momtaz, ed.
- Europe from Scratch: Visions for a New European OrderReport
As the EU confronts profound challenges, several leaders have called for fundamental reform to the union’s model—but only modest, superficial changes have resulted. What if Europe really could be reimagined from zero today: What should such a redesigned European order look like?
Richard Youngs, ed.
- What Should We Take From Andrey Melnichenko’s Essay in the Economist?Commentary
Andrey Melnichenko’s essay offers no answer to the fundamental question of how, under any kind of negotiated settlement, Europe can protect itself from the Russian ressentiment that is inevitable in all scenarios except for an outright victory for Putin.
Leonid Bershidsky
- How NATO Became Anchored in the Black SeaCommentary
As Russia's war on Ukraine drags on, NATO is expanding its footprint in the Black Sea. Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria are upgrading their fleets and deepening trilateral cooperation.
Dimitar Bechev
- Parliamentary Elections in Occupied Ukraine Risk Backfiring for the KremlinCommentary
Despite unhappiness on the ground, Moscow is determined to use both carrot and stick to ensure there is record support for United Russia in occupied Ukraine.
Konstantin Skorkin