Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim
Fifty-seven countries are not at peace with Israel today.
Fifty-seven countries out of 193 countries in the world.
Fifty-seven countries with a total population greater than Europe and the United
States combined.
Fifty-seven countries, representing one third of the members of the United
Nations.
Fifty-seven countries for whose citizens the conflict in Palestine is the issue
of their time.
We must, therefore, ask the important question. What are the implications for
global stability if this continues?
Today I assert that this must not continue and that 2008 is a critical year.
Yes, at long last, this year, right now – we are in the best possible position
to resolve 60 years of conflict between Israel and Palestine. The Arab and
Muslim states have committed to an unprecedented and unanimous peace initiative.
We have a chance to answer this third of the world who are not at peace with
Israel and who demand freedom and dignity for the Palestinian people.
But time is running out and we need the United States of America completely
involved, to influence the course of discussions, monitor progress, and help
bridge the gaps to ensure a final agreement by the end of 2008.
It is difficult to exaggerate how great the stakes are, for Americans, for
Arabs, for Israelis, and indeed for the whole world.
But I am not here today to speak only of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I am
here to speak to you, the scholars of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and
International Affairs, of the critical importance of a long-term strategic
American involvement in the development of the Middle East.
I am here to explain that such a commitment is an opportunity to transform the
strategic landscape of the Middle East for years to come.
I am here to speak of what must, I repeat, must happen if our world is to be
safe.
I know that optimism does not come easily in academia. But I do know about the
visionary thinking that is the scholar’s gift. Today, I ask you to employ
visionary thinking to consider a short- and long-term strategy that will ensure
a viable, stable, prosperous Middle Eastern region and a safe and secure world
for all.
America’s involvement is a critical success factor of such a strategy. We need a
strong authority that can act and act swiftly. We need to act now for time is
running out. The continuing confinement of the Palestinians in Gaza everyday
creates a greater radicalism amongst Palestinians and invites other actors
within the region to operate on their behalf. The long period of conflict has
allowed new ambitions, influences, and capabilities to appear. They are echoed
in Iraq’s armed sectarian division, in the attacks on Lebanese sovereignty, and
in the power-projection by state and non-state actors.
There are many other serious threats.
Security, opportunities for youth, economic development, resource scarcity,
chronic conflicts, institutional challenges and nuclear weapon proliferation,
are just some examples of the major challenges we face. You are a prime example
of some of the gifted, ambitious youth of America. We are acutely aware of the
urgent needs of our own youth who make up 70 percent of my region’s people. It
is the largest youth cohort in our history. Like American youth, Internet
communications have given them an unprecedented view of the world. In their own
region they see evidence in extremist messages of hatred and isolation. They see
a lack of opportunities and an uncertain future. But they also see the
prosperity and freedom that countries and regions in peace can offer.
We must meet the expectations of this younger generation. In my region, we
expect to need 200 million new jobs by 2020. Creating these opportunities will
require investment and partnerships to develop new infrastructure, meet energy
and water needs and improve public services and education. A strong cooperative
Arab-American strategic partnership must be created.
But today my friends, we must contemplate.
I pose these questions for your consideration…
Will my region plunge into more chaos and violence, where extremism rules? Or
will it be a peaceful, developing region?
Will it be a region focused on conflicting radical ideologies fueled by the
manipulation of sectarian division? Or will it be a region reaping the benefits
of globalization and strong global partnerships?
Will it be a region that rejects Western alliances, perhaps violently, because
they have become far too difficult to achieve? Or will it be a region that is a
global partner in progress and prosperity with the West?
The choice is ours. But we must act and time is running out. The dangerous
combination of new technology, terrorism and the drastic consequences of
economic underdevelopment, all continue to add to a potentially catastrophic
situation on the ground.
We must act this year if we are to achieve the first important advancement
towards a strong Middle Eastern region.
A year ago, before the U.S. Congress, I urged an all-out American commitment to
lead the way forward. I said then what I repeat today: that the wellspring of
global division, the source of resentment and frustration within the region and
far beyond, is the denial of justice and peace in Palestine. The beginning of a
long-term strategic partnership between the Arab world and the United States
must begin with the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
America is the only world power capable of ensuring that the parties stay on
track and on time in their current negotiations. And America is uniquely placed
to build international support throughout the peacemaking process. Resolution of
this conflict will be critical if we are to confront the other serious regional
challenges
But time is running out. This year is an unprecedented opportunity to reach a
comprehensive settlement between Israel and all its neighbors.
In Israel, there are those who oppose any movement toward resolution. There are
politicians who do not want peace with Palestinians and who reject a two-state
solution. I disagree. Israel’s security cannot depend indefinitely on
occupation, walls, and the Israeli military. Real security for Israel will occur
when it is a neighbor among neighbors, an economy among economies, a people
among people working together towards the achievement of common goals and bright
futures.
In America, there are those who oppose any further involvement. There are those
who say it is not America’s business. I disagree. You will all know that
historically, success in Middle East peacemaking was achieved when the United
States stepped in and drove the negotiations.
A victory by the enemies of peace, freedom, stability and moderation cannot be
an option. If we miss today’s opportunities, peace will be set back, perhaps for
decades. Extremists will continue to act. The forces for moderation and positive
change will weaken. Global divisions will not only endure but also possibly
deepen. Questioning of the West’s effectiveness, and commitment, may grow. All
of these will have consequences not only for my region but also for the world.
My friends,
Division and hatred have eroded understanding and agreement. They have played
into the hands of the enemies of humanity – those who attacked the World Trade
Center, those who would divide multi-cultural Europe, those who, right now, seek
to tear my region apart.
If we fail to take the necessary steps to resolve the core problem of the
region, it will become significantly harder for the countries of the Middle East
to work in partnership with America in the future. I fear radical ideologies
will determine the political and social agendas in many of our countries. The
region will move further away from our vision of moderation, prosperity and
peace. It will move further away from the common principles of mutual respect
and partnership on which we want to base our relations with the United States
and the West.
Every day another child in my region grows up with frustration and hatred in his
or her eyes.
Every day another child grows up with aggression because that is all they have
known.
Every day young people lose hope because they cannot get jobs and they cannot
see opportunities.
Princeton scholars,
Speaking here today, I am especially aware of the role of scholars and students
in making progress happen. Where others see unsolvable problems, you see paths
that can lead to answers and successful action. This is the tradition of great
scholarship of which you are a part.
Today I ask you to bring the tradition of scholarship to the challenges that lie
ahead, and join me in thinking about the reality that together our countries can
create:
- An end to 60 years of conflict, violence,
and occupation;
- A homeland for Palestinians, offering hope,
respect, and a future;
- Security and new acceptance for Israel,
within its neighborhood and around the world;
- A strategic region that is able to turn to
the future as peace takes hold;
- And, a new partnership between your country
and the Arab and Muslim peoples, transforming the strategic landscape and
creating new horizons for progress and peace.
It is an honor to be speaking to you all today,
and I thank you, President Tilghman, for your warm reception.
I should like to conclude by drawing from the wisdom of the great American after
whom this school was named.
Woodrow Wilson said, “Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the
world together. There must be, not a balance of power, but a community of power;
not organized rivalries, but an organized peace.”
This is the challenge, this is the opportunity, and we must succeed.
Thank you very much.