A new opportunity for peace
cctv.com 01-09-2005 12:17
Just a few months ago, hopes for peace between the Palestinians and Israelis were off the radar. Now, as Palestinians go to the polls to elect a new president, analysts say both sides have renewed hope for progress.
After the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and with a much more flexible and moderate Mahmoud Abbas emerging as the front-runner in the presidential election, analysts say the long-stalled Middle East peace process now faces an opportunity.
Associate Professor of Peking University Wang Suolao said, "This election is of great importance for both the Palestinians and Israelis because it will decide who will follow Yasser Arafat as leader of the Palestinians. And in a sense, it will decide whether the decades-long conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians will enter a new phase. That's why the whole world is paying great attention to this election. The international community hopes this election can bring an opportunity to revive the deadlocked Middle East peace process."
And for the Middle East region, where blood and bombs are commonplace and the security situation is deteriorating, this election might also carry a positive message.
Associate Professor of Peking University Wang Suolao said, "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been one of the main problems in the Middle East. The worsening of the conflict will not only affect the Palestinians and Israelis, but the security situation of the whole Middle East region. If the election goes smoothly and the new Palestinian leader can carry out peace talks with Israel in earnest, it will greatly improve the security situation in the Middle East region."
Nobody yet knows what sort of leadership a new Palestinian election will produce and when the peace talk will resume. But by most accounts, the majority of Palestinians, like the majority of Israelis, prefer the peace option. The two peoples on each side of this conflict now face a critical moment.
Editor:Hu Source:CCTV.com
