On day 12 of the violence in Gaza and less than two weeks from President-elect Barak Obama's inauguration, we asked Scott Appleby, director of the Kroc Institute, how he would advise the new president to respond to the crisis.
What can a brand-new president do to address this deeply rooted conflict?
President Obama must spend wisely while his purchasing power is strong. By summer the significant political capital and popular support he now enjoys could be eroded. He should use his honeymoon clout to reshape the U.S. relationship to Israel, in the interests of peace in the Middle East. He must hold Israel to the agreements it has already made, including a freeze on illegal settlements, a return to the two-state solution, and a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace agreement.
Wouldn’t such action come at a high political cost, given the United State’s longstanding support of Israel?
Yes, but it is unambiguously in the best interests of the region, the United States, and Israel itself. Until Israel has the courage to risk sustained economic and political partnership with moderate elements in the Palestinian and larger Arab world, and to trust diplomacy as a central dimension of security policy, no Israeli or Palestinian child will sleep easily.
What advice would you give President-Elect Obama for his first days in office?
I would ask him to travel to the border between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, mount the podium, and declare to the world: “Mr/Ms Prime Minister: Tear down this wall!”
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