Mitchell has a big role

Sixty one years after the passage of United Nations Resolution 181 creating the state of Israel on Palestinian land, the ensuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unsolved. Numerous US administrations, beginning with that of president Dwight Eisenhower, attempted to mediate the problem, but failed. The latest attempt by former president George W. Bush, called the "Two-State Roadmap", was started too late and was doomed to failure because of Bush's ill-advised involvement in Iraq and his preoccupation with that problem.

President Barack Obama, as no president before him, affirmed his commitment to engage immediately on the Middle East, by appointing former US Senator George Mitchell to be special envoy to the region. Mitchell from the state of Maine, served as the Majority Leader in the US Senate. He was appointed by then president Bill Clinton to mediate the conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland and was credited with bringing peace between them in 1998. He also is no stranger to Middle East politics. Aside from the fact that his mother was born in Lebanon, Mitchell was appointed by Clinton to lead a commission to find solutions to the violence between Palestinians and Israelis.

The Mitchell Commission, in its recommendations, in 2001, called on the Palestinians to stop terror attacks on Israel and demanded that the Palestinian National Authority, under Chairman Yasser Arafat, punish Palestinian perpetrators. The Commission also asked Israel to stop building new colonies and to instruct Israeli soldiers not to shoot unarmed demonstrators.

Judging by Mitchell's balanced findings, one would expect the Obama envoy to involve himself in serious negotiations that would emphasise the rights and obligations of both parties.

The issue of Israeli colonies on Arab land, which the Mitchell commission recommended to be frozen, is a big thorn to the Palestinians.

The Commission needs to solve it because it is crucial to an overall settlement of the conflict. Any mediation by Mitchell that would lead to more trust and less enmity and hate between the two sides would be welcomed by all. In his present assignment, Mitchell will be able to count on the support of Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan.

The present climate of intimidation and escalation has resulted in a cycle of violence with no end in sight. The situation in Gaza speaks for itself. Too many innocent lives have been lost and both sides must share the blame. As impossible as it may seem, the Mitchell mission must succeed.

The world cannot afford this cycle of violence to go on unabated. Other nations in the region may get involved in a future escalation that will result in untold damage for the region and the world. It is also vital to America's war on terror and America's national interest to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A key element that the Obama- Mitchell Commission must consider for the success of the mission, involves economic assistance to the Palestinians and a reconstruction programme to replace the destroyed infrastructure, homes and businesses in Gaza and the West Bank.

As to the Palestinian and Israeli leaderships, they must be made to understand that each of them must make hard decisions and unpopular compromises. The security and the ensuing peace make all these sacrifices worthwhile.

Sam Zakhem is a former US Ambassador to Bahrain.