PRESS ON, MR. PRESIDENT

 Editorial de  “The Washington Post” del 28.05.2003

PRESIDENT BUSH appears prepared to dive personally into Middle East diplomacy -- and not a moment too soon. In the past week Mr. Bush has been on the phone to Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders, has spoken out in support of the peace process and has made himself available for a summit meeting -- maybe even a pair of them -- in the Middle East, possibly next week. So far the results of his efforts have been modest: The Israeli government issued a hedged endorsement of the U.S.-backed "road map" for the peace process, while Palestinian and Arab leaders took preliminary steps toward curbing Islamic extremists. The obstacles to launching a substantive process -- much less achieving a peace settlement between Israel and a new Palestinian state -- remain daunting. Still, Mr. Bush's moves have arrested what looked like another downward spiral in the situation and electrified the region; if he presses forward, tangible gains are possible.

It's easy to doubt the seriousness of both Israelis and Palestinians. Though the government of Ariel Sharon formally endorsed the road map over the weekend, it so conditioned its approval as to virtually nullify it. Yasser Arafat still does his best to obstruct any concessions by his new prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. Both sides so far have refused to take any concrete steps on the ground; both hold out for U.S. intervention on their side. Still, there are hopeful signs. Mr. Sharon, a onetime proponent of reserving all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip for Israel, on Monday astonished and enraged many in his own party by declaring that "keeping 3.5 million Palestinians under occupation . . . is bad for Israel, and bad for the Palestinians." Mr. Abbas, better known as Abu Mazen, has been equally forthright in saying that Palestinian violence against Israel is counterproductive and that all Palestinian forces not belonging to his government must be disarmed.

Neither Mr. Sharon nor Mr. Abbas is currently willing, or able, to take even the first measures spelled out for them in the road map. But each appears prepared to consider some baby steps -- and that gives Mr. Bush something to work with. Mr. Abbas has told U.S. officials that he is too weak to fully dismantle extremist groups but that with help from Israel and Arab governments, he might be able to induce them to declare a cease-fire. Mr. Sharon has balked at the road map's requirement of a freeze on Jewish settlement in the West Bank and Gaza, but he has quietly negotiated with the administration a possible rollback of the dozens of settlement outposts set up in the past two years. Both sides seem willing to experiment with an Israeli withdrawal from part or all of the Gaza Strip and the assumption of control by Palestinian forces committed to stopping terrorist attacks.

Put together, these small pieces might form the basis of a preliminary package, one that could create momentum for bolder steps. Mr. Bush will have to press European and Arab leaders, who have been too reticent in their support of Mr. Abbas, and Mr. Sharon, who has placed heavy weight on his personal relationship with this president. A high-level American special envoy and a group of U.S. monitors could help broker detailed Israeli-Palestinian arrangements and oversee their implementation. But there will be no substitute for Mr. Bush. The president can't force an Israeli-Palestinian settlement -- but the process won't move forward without his continuing engagement.