As tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians continue to mount, international attention is focused on U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is set to arrive in the region today, one day ahead of schedule on his diplomatic mission.
Despite a renewed engagement of the United States in the search for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict, UW-Madison experts have expressed skepticism over Powell's ability to garner any sort of long-term agreement between the two sides.
UW-Madison political science professor Michael Barnett put Powell's visit in the historical context of a conflict that has existed for decades.
\No one has been able to crack this mess for a hundred years. Presidents have tried and failed, prime ministers have tried and failed, UN secretaries general have tried and failed,"" Barnett said.
The Israeli and Palestinian conflict has escalated following a number of altercations during the Jewish holy week of Passover. Israeli forces have continued their search for Palestinian militants in the West Bank cities of Ramallah, Bethlehem and Nablus, and maintain a house arrest on Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestinian Authority.
However, in response to President Bush's demands, Israel has recently pulled back from the cities of Tulkarm and Kalkilya.
Chris Khoury, former chair of the Madison chapter of the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, said he has doubts concerning the speed of Powell's approach towards the situation.
""[Colin Powell] is already starting out on the wrong foot,"" Khoury said. ""[He] has given Israel at least a week to continue ... human rights violations against Palestinian civilians.""
Experts also reflected on Bush's policy shift from a previously hands-off approach in respect to the region.
Rick Woolman, president of the Madison Israel Public Affairs Committee, said he thinks the events of Sept. 11 and the resulting war on terrorism have made the Bush Administration more aware of the rest of the world.
""What 9/11 has done is to open everyone's eyes, including the administration's eyes, to the suicide bombings and terrorism. ... It has given all of the American people a feeling of the real urgency of the situation in the Middle East,"" Woolman said.
However, despite recent rhetoric, officials do not have a clear plan for how they are approaching the conflict, Barnett said.
""The administration has given some broad claims that it wants to see a Palestinian state, which is actually a major statement, but it hasn't really done much more than that at this point,"" Barnett said.
Although not everyone agrees on how best to achieve it, the general consensus is that a peaceful resolution is the only hope for the region, though opinions varied on how best accomplish that feat.
""One concrete step [the United States] can take right away is to simply withhold military aid to Israel, which is about $3 billion a year in U.S. tax-payer money,"" Khoury said.
Woolman said, no matter what Powell's impact is, the current conflict accurately reflects the desperation and frustration of the region.
""In a situation like this there cannot be a military winner,"" he said. ""The only feasible thing is peace.""
