Is Middle East Peace Possible?

• Author: Ross, Dennis
• Position: Debate

The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, which began in the aftermath of Israel's founding in 1948, has now lasted for nearly seven decades. Most people agree that the two sides need to find a way to peacefully coexist as neighbors, but their leaders remain far apart on many issues, including security for Israel, the borders of an eventual Palestinian state, and the status of Jerusalem, which both Israelis and Palestinians claim as their capital (see map).

For decades, the U.S. has tried unsuccessfully to help forge a lasting peace deal. In September, President Trump said that the time is right for a final agreement.

Two Middle East experts face off about whether peace is achievable.

YES As President Bill Clinton's chief negotiator for Arab-Israeli peace from 1993 to 2001, I spent literally thousands of hours negotiating with the Israelis and the Palestinians. The conflict between them cannot be resolved until they find a way to divide up the land they both claim into two nation-states: Israel and Palestine.

In 1993, Israelis and Palestinians formally recognized each other's existence for the first time as part of the Oslo peace accords. In the following years, I helped negotiate several interim agreements between the Israelis and Palestinians. While none of these agreements succeeded in producing an independent Palestine or settling the conflict, they did produce tangible results that many would have considered unachievable even a few years earlier.

Because it's been almost 25 years since the beginning of the peace process and there's still no peace, many believe peace can't be achieved. But I ask two simple questions: Are Israelis going anyplace? Are Palestinians going anyplace? The answer is no. So long as these two distinct national peoples live next to each other, they will have to find a way to peacefully coexist.

There are solutions for where to draw the border, how to ensure Israeli security, and how to reconcile both sides' needs on the issues of refugees and control of Jerusalem. I know this is true from long talks with both sides. The biggest obstacle is that both sides have lost faith in each other. Palestinians are convinced Israelis will never accept an independent Palestinian state. Israelis believe Palestinians will never accept Israel as a Jewish state.

Restoring a sense of belief is essential for peacemaking--and it can be done. If Israelis would substantially limit their construction of housing for Jewish...