"We have reached the end of the beginning of the process initiated by President Obama in January to bring Israel, the Palestinians, and Israel's other Arab neighbors together to negotiate an agreement for peace— the so-called two state solution to conflict in the Holy Land.

"The approach and timing for reaching an agreement (but not yet its implementation) are beginning to take shape. They follow the outline suggested in this newsletter last fall: the appointment of a Middle East negotiator, extensive consultations and a presidential speech. Senator George Mitchell was appointed Special Envoy for Middle East Peace in January. After a careful consultation process that included a teleconference by Mitchell with national church leaders arranged by CMEP, the President's speech in Cairo on June 4 laid out a broad view of the need for agreement to create a Palestinian state and for Israeli settlement activity in the Palestinian territories to stop as a necessary step for advancing regional peace. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu gave a highly conditional response on June 14, approving the idea of a Palestinian state while suggesting that settlement activity nevertheless might continue.

"The next milestone may be an initiative by the Administration this summer to kick start bilateral and perhaps regional negotiations...."

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