Palestinians and Democracy

Washington Post: With British Prime Minister Tony Blair at his side, President Bush Friday offered a heartening commitment to pursue Palestinian democracy and statehood in the next four years -- with the former a condition for the latter. His promise to "spend the capital of the United States on such a state" should encourage leaders around the region who have despaired at U.S. inaction on that front during Bush's first term; his parallel pledge to work more closely with European allies on that and other initiatives also augurs a step in the right direction. We agree with the president about the paramount importance of Palestinian democracy: Unlike the Bush administration, we favored Palestinian elections even before the death of Yasser Arafat. Yet Bush's new and overwhelming emphasis on democracy as the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was a little troubling, because it seemed to minimize the fact that Israeli as well as Palestinian action will be necessary if the opportunity created by Arafat's death is to be seized.
'Road map'
The Israeli-Palestinian "road map" approved by Bush nearly two years ago envisioned steps toward Palestinian elections and other reforms, including a reorganization of security forces to fight terrorism. Those were to be accompanied by specific Israeli actions, including a freeze on further expansion of West Bank settlements. But when asked on Friday what steps Israel should take, and whether he favored a settlement freeze, Bush declined to answer, instead repeating his call for Palestinian democracy. In fact, as he described it, the president's new strategy allows Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to proceed with his plan for a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, coupled with the expansion of major West Bank settlements and construction of a border-like security fence that will attach them to Israel.
Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would be a positive development. But Sharon's initiative was predicated on the notion that there was no Palestinian "partner" with whom Israel could negotiate -- and that Israel's unilateral steps would create a long-term roadblock to Palestinian statehood. With Arafat replaced, at least on an interim basis, by leaders who have opposed violence and endorsed the road map, that logic no longer applies. In fact, an important opportunity exists for Israel to reopen talks with the Palestinians and demonstrate that moves toward peace by a new leadership will be reciprocated.