COLUMN: U.S. must be more active in Middle East peace process

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by Sheffy Gordon

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Clinton called him "a martyr for his nation's peace" shortly after the leader of Israel was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli fundamentalist law student following a peace rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

As our country's leader lends his support to the shocked Middle East nation, it is time to examine our role in the Middle East quest for peace.

Even before the 1978 Camp David Accords in which President Jimmy Carter facilitated the historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, the United States had traditionally played a pivotal role mitigating the Middle East factions.

The odds have been formidable as the animosities between the cultures predate the half-century old state of war that began with the inception of Israel.

But with the persistence of U.S. diplomats such as Rice University's own former Secretary of State James Baker and Israeli/Syrian Ambassador Edward Djerejian, the enemies finally agreed to get together and negotiate their differences.

Following secret arrangements in Oslo, Norway, Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization led by Yassir Arafat have agreed to two interim settlements, and the Jordanians and Israelis have formed a peace.

The only significant holdouts are the Syrians and the Lebanese. If Israel could negotiate with these counties, there would be an effective peace in the region, and Israel could have peace on all its borders.

Where does the United States stand in all this?

Djerejian has stated that Clinton is instrumental in the future of peace to the region: "If he doesn't decide to [give U.S. support] then I don't think it will be done."

The cost to the United States has been significant. As retribution for peace, the United States has granted billions of dollars in foreign aid to Egypt and Israel.

Less was given to Jordan because the United States does not have the same resources available as it did during the 1978 agreement.

Despite the financial responsibility the United States has committed to affect the Middle East peace, the stability of the region is paramount to our foreign interests.

For one reason, the United States is dependent on Arab oil.

The United States and the world will go to war to defend oil. The Persian Gulf War in 1991 can attest to that. Analysts claim that this "black gold" will have increasing political ramifications in the future. Israel has peace with Egypt and Jordan and has made great progress with the Palestinians in developing an autonomous territory.

As a result, with U.S. aid, citizens can visit each others' countries, and substantial trade has boosted both economies.

Furthermore, humanitarian considerations aside, the United States must support the region's stability because at present, it has few true allies in the Middle East. Israel, being a rare democracy in a totalitarian world, has been fighting for its existence in a 50-year state of war.

Now, there is a historic chance for peace on all its boundaries pending the negotiations with Syria. Israel and Syria are talking for the first time. It is crucial that an agreement be made soon to solidify the progress -- otherwise it will fall apart.

The entire peace rests on unstable grounds and is subject to self-destructing explosively with poor maneuvers. If the United States was to withdraw its support, the hope for peace would be quashed for years.

Presently on our hands, some right-wing radical law student has decided to take the law into his own hands and try to end the peace process.

Rather than letting terrorism dictate the peace process, we should use Rabin's assassination as proof of the need for peace.

As British Prime Minister John Major said, "He gave his life for peace. His best memorial would lie in achieving it."

The Rice Young Democrats meets at 6 p.m. on alternate Wednesdays in the Hanszen loft. The next meeting will be Nov. 22.

Sheffy Gordon is a Jones College sophomore.

This item appeared in the Opinion section of the November 10, 1995 issue.

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