Significance of George Bush's Middle East tour

BUSH ended his eight day Middle East trip a few days ago, sparking questions concerning various issues, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran's nuclear capability. But the most significant part of his tour has been the resumed peace process between Israel and Palestine, which had remained dormant for more than seven years as it received very scant importance from the Bush administration. George Bush's visit to Ramallah gave the green signal for the Middle East peace process, as he called for an end to Israel's 41-year occupation of Palestinian lands and stated a commitment to forge a peace agreement before the end of his tenure in office. Bush said: "I believe its going to happen, that there's going to be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office." He further emphasised that the Palestinian refugees would be paid compensation for the loss of homes when they fled after occupation by Israel.
A plethora of questions comes into the minds of the political critics. Should the Middle East people believe in this promise? Are the Americans really honest in sponsoring the peace deal? If we look at the tour, it shows that Bush wants to score a foreign policy triumph before he leaves office next January. America worries about the supposed serious threat from Iran, which is continuing its civilian nuclear programme. Bush has offered to sell $20 billion of advance weaponry to Arab allies, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, to bolster their defense against Iran, a close ally of Syria.
In a brief appearance with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak , Bush dealt gently with the pace of political reform in Egypt, the first Arab state to make peace with Israel and the recipient of the highest US aid except Israel. "I emphasised that the Palestinians question, of course, is the core of problems and conflict in the Middle East," Mubarak told the reporters after he and Bush met and had lunch at the Red Sea resort. Mubarak was among those who told Bush that he was creating a larger problem by causing the perception that he is too partial to Israel. Syria candidly said that the main aim of Bush's Middle East tour was to scare Persian Gulf countries into buying weapons by portraying Iran as a threat.
The Palestinian state must be viable and contiguous, whereas the eight mile long corridor between Gaza and the West Bank belongs to Israel. Without connecting Gaza Strip with the West Bank, a Palestinian state would be unstable and vulnerable. If the corridor is handed over to the Palestinians, Palestine would be complete. There is no agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority for sharing water and electricity. The continued presence of some 220,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank remains a big question. These are the key issues of Israel, including the future of Jerusalem and the Palestine refugees. Until and unless these issues receive proper and true attention from Israel and its "guru" this tour will hardly bring any tangible solution.
Has the Bush administration given up its strategic goals in Asia after the sad and unexpected experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan? Actually, it still retains long-term interest in these regions. The recent tour to the Middle East gives hints that the US has far reaching plans about the Middle East, the Persian Gulf and the whole of Asia. Just after the tour, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned that Israel and Palestine might not reach a peace deal that Bush has predicted within a year as both sides began discussing core issues. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livini and former Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qurei met in Jerusalem. The meeting lasted for two hours in a good and constructive environment. They discussed the core issues and agreed to continue the talks on an intensive basis. " I'm not sure we can reach an agreement and I'm not sure we can see its implementation. But I will be committing a sin if I didn't try," a senior government official said, quoting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
The opposition want to maintain the status quo at any price. "I say this is dangerous, adventurous and irresponsible," said the head of the opposition. Olmert actually faces internal criticism over the talks, with two member of his coalition threatening to quit if core issues are discussed.
In the meantime, Israel has ordered all border crossings into Gaza temporarily closed. The tightening of the blockade could make life more difficult for Gaza's already impoverished residents. Palestinians are already suffering shortages of food, fuel, spare parts of cars, computer, paper and other supplies since Israel imposed the siege after Hamas seized the territory in June. "It is imperative that these crossings are opened so that the dire situation in Gaza does not deteriorate further, inflicting further misery on one and half million people who live there," Christopher Genness, the spokesman for UNRWA, the UN Agency in charge of Palestinian refugees commented. Closing the crossings can only lead to the further radicalisation of a depressed and demoralised people. Past experience has shown such kind of development.
Tel Aviv must take into account that the security of Israel is not an isolated factor, rather it is related to the economic situation of the Gazans and the people huddled in the refugee camps. When they have no food and drink due to this closure, they respond to it like they have for so long. Why have the already inflicted people been further been infuriated? Don't they attach any importance or significance to what George Bush has said regarding the peace deal? Israelis must show restraint, otherwise the world will take Bush's visit as trying to forge a united force in the Middle East to wage war against Iran, which will definitely bring irreparable loss to either side.
The increasing violence has clouded Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which resumed after the Middle East Conference in Annapolis Conference, and the ray of hope which emanated from the recent tour of Bush to the Middle East. In the Annapolis Conference Bush claimed: "The foundation for establishment of a new nation, a democratic Palestinian state that will live side by side with Israel in peace and security." Let this tour be considered as a part of this claim.

Masum Billah works as a specialist in Brac Education Program, PACE.