After much effort, U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration has succeeded in resuming the Israeli-Palestinian peace process through “proximity talks.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Canada this weekend, and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meet separately with U.S. envoy George Mitchell to discuss the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
On the surface, chances for a historic deal in the Holy Land appear to be as high as ever. Mr. Obama is committed to Palestinian statehood, having described the reduction of Middle East conflicts as “a vital national security interest of the United States,” and taken a firm stance against Israeli settlements in the disputed West Bank. Mr. Netanyahu has accepted the two-state solution and agreed, under American pressure, to a temporary halt in settlement expansion. Mr. Abbas and Salam Fayyad, the Palestinian prime minister, are dedicated peacemakers who prevent terrorism and promote better governance in the Palestinian Authority.
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