After seven months of Israeli-Palestinian violence, a glimmer of hope emerged yesterday from the normally dreary and tortuous maneuverings of Middle East diplomacy. Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres signaled that an initiative to end the bloodletting is showing promise. Mr. Peres, while optimistic, didn't confirm a deal. But Peres did pledge that immediate steps would be taken to ease restrictions on the travel of Palestinians. And Yasser Arafat ordered a branch of his Fatah organization to disband in an attempt to stop mortar attacks on Jewish settlements.
Analysts say it's premature to call the initiative, formulated by Jordan and Egypt, a success.
The region has a long history of shredding agreements before the ink dries. And this effort is still in its early stages, with many unanswered questions. For example, it wasn't clear how, if at all, the Egyptians and Jordanians would manage to bridge a gulf between Israel and the Palestinians over the future of Jewish settlements and the frame of reference for talks on a future peace deal. But, upon reflection, the announcement appeared to reflect Cairo's desire for deescalation more than the sealing of an enduring breakthrough. That formulation would appear to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's insistence on a halt to violence, which he blames on the Palestinians, before talks start.