Don't forget Palestine peace talks

A comprehensive peace in Palestine would be a massive boost to normalisation in the Middle East. Most of the region's conflicts trace their origins in some way to the assumptions that violence is the only way to win, born out of the long-running support for Israel by the United States. It will be important over the next few months to restart international attention on the need for a just peace in Palestine.

The current presumption in favour of violence was attacked yesterday by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who in discussions with the Speaker of the European Parliament called for more international support for policies based on dialogue, reciprocal recognition, and understanding.

At the same time, the new American administration of Barack Obama must prioritise Palestinian peace. Such an initiative could also rebuild the shattered prestige of the United States in the Middle East and the Muslim world after its decades of blind support for Israel.

The reality in Palestine demands international action and continues to be an outrage: starvation and deprivation in Gaza, continued expansion of Jewish colonies, and widespread military roadblocks.
At least there is some interest in restarting international momentum, as Russia plans to conduct a conference on the Middle East in 2009. Russia is a member of the Middle East quartet along with the European Union, the United Nations and the United States.

Last week the quartet called on both Israelis and Palestinians to intensify their efforts to end the conflict. This all shows that Palestine is not forgotten, even if the new administration takes the usual six months to find its way and define its priorities.