Summary

by Rami G. Khouri, The Daily Star, Lebanon

Other than the occasional, momentary and superficial rap on Israel’s knuckles by Secretary of State James Baker or President Ronald Reagan, or an unsuccessful push by President Barack Obama to freeze Israeli settlements, the United States has supported or acquiesced in all major Israeli positions on relations with Palestine.

A shift in the U.S. position would dramatically open doors to substantive political developments in several arenas, emphasizing the untenability of the occupation and colonization of Palestinian lands since 1967 .

This ties in with the two political actors we should now watch – the European Union and the Palestinian leadership – to see if meaningful diplomatic change will occur.

First, they must rehabilitate the Palestinian leadership itself by reconstituting the institutions of the Palestine Liberation Organization as a legitimate, active representative of all Palestinians.

Second, they must push hard on several international fronts to challenge and delegitimize Israeli actions in the occupied territories.