Middle East Roadmap for Peace May Lead to a Dead End

Interview with Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun Magazine, conducted by Scott Harris

Although the latest plan for peace in the Middle East, known as "the Road Map," was drawn up and awaiting action for many months, the proposal wasn't given serious attention until just days before the U.S. launched its war against Iraq. Now, after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, the "road map" is moving forward with an endorsement from the new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and half-hearted acceptance from the Israeli government of Ariel Sharon.

The plan, put forward by the U.S., the European Union, the U.N. and Russia, envisions the cessation of hostilities leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state within 3 years. But critics of the blueprint for peace worry about opposition to the plan from hardliners on both sides and that many of the most difficult negotiations will not begin until the final and third phase of the plan. Contentious issues such as the dismantling of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza and the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their former homes are formidable obstacles which could derail the plan.

Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun magazine, has for many years been working for a just solution to decades of Middle East violence. He co-founded a new organization called the Tikkun Community with co-chair Harvard professor Cornel West which serves as a progressive alternative to conservative Jewish lobby groups that generally back Israel's aggressive policies. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Rabbi Lerner about how he views the prospects for success of this latest Middle East peace plan.

Tikkun is sponsporing a four-day event, "Tikkun Teach-in To Congress" in Washington, D.C. June 1-4. Contact Tikkun at (510) 644-1200 or visit their Web site at www.tikkun.org

Related links

* "The State Sharon is Talking About," by Amira Hass, Z Magazine online, May 28, 2003

* "Violence and the Road Map," The US Media's Double Standard, by Ben Granby, Electronic Intifada, May 26, 2003

* "Israeli Cabinet Approves Landmark Peace Blueprint," by Jeffrey Heller, Reuters, May 25, 2003

* "A Road Map to the Oslo Cul-de-Sac," by Adam Hanieh and Catherine Cook, Middle East Research and Information, www.merip.org, May 24, 2003

* "How Do you Spell Democracy in Arabic?" by Laurie King-Irani, Electronic Iraq, May 19, 2003

* "Guaranteed Failure of the Roadmap," by Tanya Reinhart, Znet, May 15, 2003

* "Violence and the Road Map," The US Media's Double Standard, by Ben Granby, Electronic Intifada, May 26, 2003

* Tikkun's Middle East Peace Initiative: Get your church, synagogue, community organization or elected officials to endorse this project

* The Electronic Intifada, leading Palestinian portal for information aboaut the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its depiction in the media, www.electronicintifada.net

* Palestine Independent Media Center, www.jerusalem.indymedia.org

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