Moshe Arad, director general of Israel's Ministry of Communications, said in a discussion panel yesterday that the new Middle East peace agreement is ambitious but still leaves many social and economic problems to be solved.
Arad spoke in a discussion about the search for peace in the Middle East, called "Opportunities and Obstacles," in 105 Dartmouth Hall.
International Politics Professor James Piscatori of the University College of Wales' joined Arad for the discussion. Government Professor Gene Lyons, an expert in international relations, moderated the session.
The discussion was the second of a six-part series about the quest for peace in the Middle East sponsored by the Dickey Endowment for International Understanding.
The recent peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization sketches out a framework for removing Israel occupation forces from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and establishing a Palestinian government in those areas.
During a transition period, the accord calls for a Palestinian police force to monitor the regions before the formation of a Palestinian state can begin.
Arad said although the agreement provides a framework for peace, the belief that everything will occur as the pact suggests is "almost unrealistic."
But Arad said the pact is important because it is the first breakthrough of reconciliation between Israel and Palestine.
Piscatori said the agreement "created a series of odd alliances" among the Middle Eastern nations.
Specifically, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Malaysia, and Indonesia favor the agreement, while Iran, Iraq, and Libya are among the nations opposed to it, Piscatori said.
Arad said despite the coalitions for and against the pact, Israel's foremost concern is security.
He said no one knows whether Israeli citizens will be able to travel safely in the West Bank and Gaza Strip areas when those regions come under Palestinian rule.
It will be tough for the Israeli government to implement the agreement into Israeli society. The PLO must also find a way to deal with Islamic opposition to the pact, but it cannot appear subservient to Islamic interests, Piscatori said.
And Palestinians living in the affected area will face serious economic changes as a result of the agreement, Arad said.
Piscatori quoted PLO leader Yasser Arafat, who said, "To all these difficulties, must be added pragmatism."
Lyons, the moderator, replied, "We don't try to solve it all. We take it one step at a time."
The Israeli-PLO pact is the most important step to break the decades-long disputes in the Middle East between Arabs and Israelis, Arad said.
"The consequence of failure will be detrimental to both Israel and Palestine," Arad said. "We all hope that it will work."
