Mr. Barak, unlike many of his Israeli political colleagues, is willing to talk openly about land for peace. He did it in talks with the late Syrian leader Hafez Assad and again during the Camp David negotiations. Mr. Barak is a soldier, the most decorated in Israeli history. He takes risks. At Camp David, he put his political life on the line.
Reports indicate that Jerusalem was the sticking point in negotiations.
Mr. Barak is said to have offered the Palestinians control of East Jerusalem and shared responsibility in the Old City, which is sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity. That cannot be. To insist on such a demand at this late hour is sure to boomerang. Both sides set Sept. 13 as the date for a final peace agreement. Given progress made at Camp David, that is still possible.