Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-03
Middle East Future

The world must continue to hold its
breath as it hopes for peace in the Middle
East. Despite Israels agreement to
withdraw from the GAIA Strip and the
Gulf Of Aqaba area, there are still too
many 'ifs" in the situation for anybody
to take anything for granted. Tomorrow,
for example, the Arab states may 60 be-
fore the United Nations with views that
Will block progress toward a settlement.
At the moment, with events moving as
fast as they are, we cannot be sure Of
what will happen, one way or the other.
We can only wait and see
Yet, II we may assume that Colonel
NasSer and his allies want to put an end
to continuing crisis, and if we may also
assume that there will be no last-minute
bitches in the Israeli Withdrawals, states
manship on both sides and within the
U. N. should be able to begin building
now toward the kind of agreements that
can establish real peace in the Middle
East. The prospect in that sense seems
Tar brighter today than it has been for
long time, and if the Ben-Gurion and Arab
governments are genuinely intent upon
making the most of it, then major prog
resS toward lasting settlement should
be not merely possible but probable.
The immediate task calls for Arab
and Israeli collaboration with the United
Nations in connection with the inter-
national security and administrative
arrangements to be put into effect as
1Srael's troops pull out of the GAIA Strip
and the Sharm ell Sheikh sector. Next,
given a solid understanding on these
matters, the contending parties and the
U. N. should find mutual suspicious and
passions sufficiently abated to move step
by step, even If slowly, toward wider
areas of agreement. The issues involved
are difficult and complex, but they are
not inSoluble. Certainly, If there is a
will to peace among all concerned, ways
can and will be worked out to establish
satisfactory and enduring reciprocal
guarantees bearing upon such things as
borders, acknowledgment projects and
navigation rights in the Suez Canal and
the Gulf of Aqaba.
Above all, if negotiations along these
lines are successfully carried out, the way
will then be paved for converting the
1949 armistice into definitive, perma-
nent peace treaty. Such a treaty, which
would be designed to eliminate the tragic
and explosive problem of the Arab
refugees and create a lasting live-and-
let-live understanding between Israel
and its neighbors, would achieve two
very great things. First, in its broadeSt
effect, 1t would change the whole outlook
throughout the Middle East from one Of
constant war threat to one full of promise
for peace. And second, in terms of the
fortunes Of It's Arab-Israeli signatories,
1t would enable them to exist side by
side In an atmosphere of trust and COL
liberation opening up bright new vistas
Of economic and political progress for
all of them.
OF course, in view of the uncertain
ties that still prevail, it may be wishful
to look forward to such a prospect at
this time. But the Arabs and Israelis
must surely realize that continuing hos
tility can offer them nothing but vast
privation and unhappiness, If not COM
plete ruin. Peace between them, on the
other hand, holds out the promise of
great mutual enrichment. Wisdom and
simple sanity thus dictate that they
arrive at good and permanent settle
ment Of their differences. And to that
extent, on the assumption that they are
fully aware of this reality, there is good
ground for hoping that the Middle East
may at last begin to move toward much
better day.