The world witnessed a historic event on September 19, 1993, when Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasir Arafat signed a peace accord at the White House in Washington D.C. The handshake between the two men was an extraordinary sight, given the hatred and fear that has dominated the Middle East for over half a century.
This research examines current developments in the Middle East peace process. A brief history leading to the peace process is provided, and the roles of the United States an other countries in the region to further or hinder this process are discussed. The pros and cons of possible policy options for the United States is also scrutinized.
The Middle East is a region that has been torn apart by war and conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbors. When Palestine was partitioned in 1948 to create the Jewish State of Israel, armies from five Arab countries immediately invaded the new nation. Since then, five wars have broken out between Israel and the surrounding Arab states, resulting in thousands of deaths and a deep-seated hatred among the peoples of the region that has evolved into ethnocentrism. Palestinians living in territories held by Israel began demanding the creation of a separate Palestinian state and the removal of Israeli soldiers from the territories.
The peace process that eventually led to the monumental 1993 peace accord began in 1991, soon after the Persian Gulf War. The United States has been a key player in resolving the conflicts, using its influence as a great multinational power to organize constructive peace talks between Israeli and Arab leaders. However, initial negotiations required the intervention of a truly neutral and trusted nation--Norway--which has virtually no enemies among Israel or the Arab countries.
The United States, on the other hand, has plenty of enemies in the region. Modern Israel grew out of Zionism, apolitical...