Don’t Let Gaza Fail: Appoint a Presidential Envoy

Seattle Jewish Transcript
August 5, 2005
By Rainer Waldman Adkins

The State of Israel is disengaging from Gaza. Settlers will depart and infrastructure be dismantled beginning in mid-August. Israeli friends tell us that withdrawal after nearly forty years of settlement is a wrenching and disruptive event, exposing an ideological divide in Israeli society. However, the withdrawal represents a new window of opportunity and hope for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process– especially if the United States plays a constructive role.

As a Seattle Jew with ties of family and friendship in Israel and a deep attachment to the people and land of Israel, I was very pleased with the Sharon government’s decision to withdraw from a part of the occupied territories. I was impressed– and, yes, surprised– that Ariel Sharon would take such a bold step, and very hopeful that it could help end to the devastating cycle of violence in which Israelis and Palestinians have found themselves since September 2000.

However, now I’m worried. Afraid of the immediate repercussions if disengagement isn’t coordinated effectively, and also of the long-term threat to Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, a beacon of pride and hope for her citizens and Jews worldwide.

I worry that, on the contrary, the Gaza disengagement will become a cautionary tale for Israelis and Palestinians alike, reinforcing the notion that there’s no one to talk to on the other side and continuing the deadly status quo. Palestinians may give up on the possibility for peaceful coexistence, while Israelis may determine to never go through something so painful again.

Media images focus our attention on scenes of anger and confusion, and the extremists on both sides who want to sabotage or hijack the withdrawal– instead of the solid majorities of Israelis and Palestinians who support moderation and negotiations. (84% of Palestinians and 85% of Israelis support negotiations on a comprehensive settlement; large majorities believe in the possibility of compromise with the other side’s current leadership.)

All the noise and fury obscure critical issues that will make or break withdrawal and have not been adequately negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians, including the fate of settler homes and greenhouses, the rights of passage between Gaza, Israel, Egypt and the West Bank, and control over air and sea traffic. The two sides made agreements in principle when they met with U.S. Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice weeks ago, but the details remain obscure to most Israelis and Palestinians. These issues have been going nowhere far too long, and could be quickly resolved if the United States were more actively engaged in helping the two sides reach agreement and produce results.

Because I want Israel to thrive and my son Sam and hoped-for grandchildren to have a rich and positive connection to Israel, I support negotiations leading to a comprehensive, reciprocal two-state solution to the conflict. This is the only solution that makes sense, the only way that Israelis and Palestinians alike will know peace and security. To be successful, it must speak to the fears and hopes of both peoples, and demand painful sacrifices. Palestinians must give up the "right of return," while Israelis will confront the precedent set by the withdrawal from Gaza.

The ultimate outcome must meet Israeli and Palestinian needs for security guarantees, viable economies and democratic civil societies. It is in this spirit that I ask President Bush to take decisive steps to save the Gaza plan.

Israel and the United States have a long and intimate relationship and shared values. The White House is well aware that a workable solution will contribute to a stable and peaceful Mid East, and is in the best interest of the U.S. and Israel. It is understandable that both sides to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, mired in internal debate, entangled by mutual distrust and consumed by longstanding fear, have been unable to achieve working agreements. Understandable, but very dangerous. With involvement of an influential third party, that danger could be greatly lessened.

The two U.S. officials already involved in the Gaza negotiations, James Wolfensohn, assisting with economic matters on behalf of the World Bank and the "Quartet," and General William Ward, assisting with security, are not authorized to oversee the complex political dynamics of the disengagement. Secretary Rice, even though she has been practicing tough-minded shuttle diplomacy in recent weeks, is far too busy to give her full attention to Israel and the Palestinians.

I call on President Bush to name a well-known and respected senior statesman or stateswoman as an envoy to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, to remain on the ground before, during and in the months following the withdrawal. This envoy should be provided with a team of monitors to enable independent corroboration of claims by both sides about the steps taken or not taken to implement and coordinate agreements. Effective security coordination is critical to prevent violence from halting progress.

I’ve written this from a personal perspective because of the strong love and connection to Israel that I feel in my kishkes, like other readers of the JT News. This is also the perspective of my organization, Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace. Who are we? We are your neighbors, friends, rabbis and lay members of the community. We are a national network of over 26,000 members and supporters in 30 chapters, including Seattle and Olympia. Just like 70% of recently polled American Jews, we support a two-state solution to the conflict. On July 29, we took our call for President Bush to immediately appoint a high-level political envoy to the grassroots, Capitol Hill and the White House. We ask for your support. (For more information, go to www.btvshalom.org.)

If the Gaza plan is successful, Prime Minister Sharon and President Abbas may find they have many more opportunities to make the lives of their citizens safer and more peaceful, through additional negotiations.

If the plan fails, however, it will mean more pain and suffering for everyone. President Bush needs to take immediate action to see that this doesn’t happen. Appoint an envoy today

Rainer Waldman Adkins is the chairperson for the Greater Seattle Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom and serves on Brit Tzedek’s national board. He is an artist and educator, and a member of Congregation Beth Shalom.