- +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 Russia Eurasia Center
- Simmering U.S.-Iran Conflict Is Moscow’s Ideal OutcomeCommentary
Ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East allows Moscow to both increase its influence in Tehran and continue to enjoy the financial windfall of higher oil prices.
Nikita Smagin
- Multiple Wars Are Ruining Central Asia’s Efforts to Diversify Its Trade RoutesCommentary
This year’s wars have made alternative routes to transit through Russia no less risky for Central Asian countries.
Galiya Ibragimova
- How to Ensure That Europe-Russia Talks Do Not FailCommentary
Reestablishing a dialogue with Moscow is not a goal in its own right. The goal is to guarantee the independence of Ukraine and the peace and security of Europe.
Arkady Moshes
- Belarus Is a Test Case for Ukraine’s New Role in the RegionCommentary
Ukraine’s increasingly confrontational posture on Belarus reflects Kyiv’s effort to shape the emerging regional order in Eastern Europe. Kyiv wants to limit European normalization with Minsk—and any future rapprochement with Russia.
Balázs Jarábik
- Loyal but Powerless: The Downgrading of Russia’s ElitePaper
The ruling elites in contemporary Russia are not a political class, but a community of managers who are not subject to competition or public accountability. The state is becoming an operating apparatus without any internal autonomy.
Alexandra Prokopenko