éditorial" "
The truce announced by Hamas however fragile it is and the contemporary withdrawal of Israel from part of the occupied territories raise hopes in a breakthrough in the peace process in the Middle East and in an attempt to apply the ” road map “, the peace plan worked out by the UNO, the USA, the European Union and Russia. The EU Presidency has meanwhile floated the proposal of a Peace Conference to be held in the autumn, while the Israeli right accuses Europe of being biased in favour of Palestine. Below we present an intervention on the question by Simon Petermann , head of the Department of political science in the Faculty of Jurisprudence at the University of Liège, special adviser for the Middle East of the Royal Institute for International Relations in Belgium and Envoy of the Council of Europe for the Near and Middle East. In the very complex situation in which the Middle East finds itself, the position of the European Union, contrary to some criticisms, is very evenly balanced, in the search for a just solution for both sides. Some member states (Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, UK) have better relations with Israel than others, but all are working for the revival of the peace process. It should not be forgotten that each of the parties in the dispute is trying to impose its own version of the truth, and the role of external players consists in proposing reasonable and pragmatic solutions to a conflict that brings with it a strong emotional charge. The EU Presidency has proposed that a peace conference be held in the autumn, an idea already launched by Italy, France and Spain. The “road map” itself, besides, envisages two conferences of the kind. The first is to launch the process of transition at the end of the second phase which should lead to the creation of a Palestinian state with provisional frontiers; the second conference, at a later date, is to lead to a Palestinian state with internationally recognised frontiers. In this crucial phase, the term of office of the European special envoy for the peace process in the Middle East, ambassador Miguel Angel Moratinos, has ended. In the course of the last seven years, he has done a really excellent job, so ensuring that the EU continues to play a role, though not a leading role, in the Middle East question. The participation of the EU in the Quartet (formed by the USA, Russia and the UNO) remains admittedly secondary: it is clear, in fact, that it is the USA that plays the leading role in the region. Moreover, we need to be realistic and recognise that neither the Americans, nor the Israelis wish the EU to play a role as a global player on the Middle Eastern stage. At the present time the total or partial respect of the cease fire permits us to hope in the first step in the application of the “road map”. We need, however, to be prudent, because an extremist attack could jeopardise the whole process. If the truce is prolonged, Palestinian premier Mahmoud Abbas (better known as Abu Mazen) who at present has little credibility in the eyes of his people would gain in popularity. More generally, however, apart from following the indications of the peace plan, it is essential that a climate of trust be restored between the belligerents. The fact that Sharon has met Mahmoud Abbas on several occasions seems promising; the leaders are speaking to each other, and this is undoubtedly a good thing. Without doubt the EU will try to build on this glimmer of peace
