Jordan foreign minister's visit to Israel

Foreign Minister Abdul-Ilah Khatib's high profile visit to Israel on Monday cannot be considered a diplomatic victory, but also cannot be considered a failure.

The only way to ensure the end to current conflict and by extension Jordan's interests is to confront Israel's incomprehensible policy with the persuasion of diplomacy -- not boycott it as many would like to see.

It seems that, no matter how controversial Khatib's visit, politically speaking it was well-timed.

It coincides with renewed meetings between the Palestinians and the Israeli foreign minister, and between Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister's son. Added to that Khatib's visit and the Jordanian-Egyptian peace proposal.

For all these reasons, also, Israel's decision to strike Syrian targets in the heart of Lebanon are all the more curious and condemnable.

Between the continuing aggression on the Palestinians and the renewed aggression against Lebanon and Syria, Israel is bombing the peace process to death.

-- The Jordan Times, Amman