John RapleyTHE ANNOUNCEMENT this week that high-level Israeli and Palestinian negotiators were heading for Washington D.C. to resume peace discussions provided fresh hopes that a final settlement may still be on the Mideast agenda. The obstacles to success are huge. Yet, so too are the dangers that would come with failure. So the prospects of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, if still remote, are looking better. And it may not be too rash to call these the make-or-break talks, at least for the foreseeable future.
The reason is that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is fighting for his political life. He came to power with promises of peace, and as the tide turns against his so-far fruitless discussions, time is running out. He faces the prospect of fresh elections as his Parliamentary opponents organise against him. If he does not produce an agreement soon and present it to the wider public, he is likely to lose his governing mandate.
Anxious to keep the talks going, Mr. Barak recently made some dramatic concessions. In particular, he broke with a long-standing Israeli policy that Jerusalem had to remain, in its entirety, a part of Israel (the Palestinians insist that East Jerusalem, the Arab quarter, must revert to their sovereignty).
He said he would be willing to accept some form of international sovereignty over the holy sites that are claimed by Muslims, Jews and Christians.
This is anathema to much of the Israeli population. Mr. Barak's many political enemies will be emboldened to hasten their efforts to remove him from power. But if he can secure some form of agreement with the Palestinians that helps allay the insecurities of ordinary Israelis, he may yet buy time for his administration. However, given the size of the challenge and the shortage of time, Mr. Barak wants to take things in steps: make as much as progress as possible now, but postpone a final agreement if need be.
