Israeli - Palestinian Conflict Exceeding Regional Resolutions,
Must be Addressed as a Global Crisis, Declares John Anderson

The conflict between the State of Israel and the Arab population in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza is not only of major concern to the people of the region, but also poses a serious threat to world peace. Until elementary canons of justice are applied to the region, and until all its inhabitants can be assured of a secure future, a durable peace cannot, I believe, be attained. The State of Israel must, therefore, be recognized by its Arab neighbors within secure, internationally guaranteed borders, and a State of Palestine, in turn, must be guaranteed an economically and politically viable entity within secure, internationally guaranteed borders and recognized by Israel. Arabs displaced by previous wars must either be resettled in their former homes, or, where that is no longer a practical option, be assisted to settle in a secure environment elsewhere or otherwise compensated.

While welcoming President Bush's increasingly active role in addressing the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian population, I am distressed by his administration's having demonstrated virtually no interest in supporting United Nations involvement in the region, much less in allowing it to play the prominent role that it rightfully should. Nor has our government insisted that past UN Security Council resolutions bearing on the region be honored by all concerned parties. Finally, our repeated use of the veto to override virtually unanimous UN decisions bearing on peace in the Middle East (among other issues) seriously undermines the authority of the United Nations. It is counterproductive and widely perceived as favoring one side over the other in the current conflict.

The rule of law must apply equally to all nations and supplant the law of force in international affairs. Accordingly, we should, in my view, call upon the United States government and the United Nations to promote, in accordance with international law, the following actions as expeditiously as circumstances permit:

1. Positioning an impartial, multinational peacekeeping force in the area of conflict to restore peace and to prevent or
minimize violence between the Jewish and Arab inhabi tants of the region;
2. Providing emergency aid for persons displaced by or injured in the recent conflict and funds for restoring the eco- nomic infrastructure of the West Bank and Gaza;
3. Supporting efforts within the Palestinian Authority to democ ratize their governance structure;
4. Sending an impartial fact-finding team, after an appropriate
cooling-off period, to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza to investigate and report on known and alleged atrocities by and against both Arabs and Jews;
5. Establishing an international peace conference to create the conditions for permanent peace in the region; and,
6. Creating a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Israel/Palestine similar to the one established in South Africa under the government of Nelson Mandela.

Additionally, we should, I believe, urge the United States to refrain from exercising its veto power in respect to relevant resolutions agreed to by overwhelming majorities in either the Security Council or the General Assembly.

Finally, in the event that any party to the conflict fails to honor relevant Security Council decisions, we should recommend application by the UN Security Council of appropriate economic and political sanctions consistent with Article 41 of the United Nations Charter.

John B. Anderson,President,
World Federalist Association

(Mr. Anderson, Republican Congressman from Rockford, Illinois, 1960-1980, the Independent Candidate for President of the United States in 1980, Professor of Constitutional Law, Nova Southeastern University and Chairman of the Board of the Center for Voting and Democracy, writes as a concerned American Citizen.