pease without justice cann t last re last opportunity for peace in article apr nuscc nus sg eng nusunix nus sg ram vikash tiwary writes as the the peace talks resume in the middle east i would humbly like to make some personal observations as to their prospects of success or failure and what s at stake the present talks were suspended for over months after the israeli expulsion of more the palestinians for alleged links with the extremist islamic organisation hamas the future of the talks was in the balance and their continuance was only guaranteed after some concessions by israel now that all the parties are back to the negotiating table the stakes as i see is are indeed high and the future stability of the region and perhaps the world is in the balance the resumption of the talks was followed by a goodwill gesture by israel involving the return of exiled palestinians from jordan to the occupied territories these however were not the palestinians expelled in december the group constituted intellectuals and professionals who had been exiled after the war for the political stand which was then regarded as dangerous the choice of these arabs who support the peace talks illustrates the dilemma now faced by israel its erstwhile arch enemies ie plo and its backers now seem willing to talk peace while a new wave of islamic fundamantalism sweeping the middle east has seen the rise of an even more implacable foe under the banner of hamas while israel continues to refuse to talk to the plo labelling it a terrorist organisation the window of opportunity for peace is narrowing by the day if the present talks are allowed to deadlock without agreement for a long term and lasting peace that taken into account the interest of all involved the chances of peace will indeed receed the plo by its decision to rejoin the talks has staked its reputation on the success of the talks the longer the talks continue and they started and half years ago without any tangible progress the further will the plo support in the territories erode what is urgently needed is some dramatic gesture worked out by israel with us approval that could spur the peace process and force the arabs and palestinians to reciprocate vague promises as to interim government and return of territories is evidently too little too late to be any good you might ask why must the israelis and not the arabs make the first substantive moves the answer must lie in the tenous support at best that the talks receive among the mass of arab people and the fact the israel holds the most important cards namely land if a land for peace agreement can be reached and real soon the chances of a comprehensive peace treaty is good the arabs once and for all recognise israel s right to exist inside secure borders and isreal would in turn recognise the legitimate right of the palestinians to self deternimation and statehood with peace guarantee by air tight treaties the region can then hope to dwell on the economic and social well being of its population rather than prepare for the next war ram vikash tiwary the alternative to peace is not department of civil engineering war it is annihilation national university of singapore eng nusunix sg
