Israel undermines Oslo peace accords

Fierce fighting in south Lebanon shows just how far the fragile Middle East peace process has moved towards collapse since last year's election of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli commandos have recently made their deepest incursion for eight years.

The right-wing Israeli Government was elected in May last year on a platform which was critical of the Oslo accords and sympathetic to some of the claims of militant West Bank settlers. Yet for some time it seemed Netanyahu might realize that, without compromise, more terrorism and fighting was inevitable.

U.S. Middle East envoy Dennis Ross is about to arrive in Israel in a bid to rekindle peace talks. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is also expected to visit the region soon.

None of this pressure will succeed unless Netanyahu understands that the extrapolation of his strategy cannot produce peace in any form acceptable to the Palestinians.

The pressure on Arafat has been criticized by Israel's opposition as ineffective, short-term and as playing into the hands of Islamic extremists by weakening the Palestinian leader's position. Without Arafat there is little hope of peace.

Netanyahu has never failed to stress Israel's need for peace with security. But he should listen to the moderate Israelis who are urging him to reject a military response because it would destroy the peace process. Satisfying only the hard-liners will plunge his country into a debilitating military confrontation.

-- South China Morning Post