We cannot underestimate the importance of visionary leadership on the part of the Israelis and the Palestinians. Ariel Sharon has provided a starting point with the Gaza
disengagement, but clearly that vision is not as broad and bold as the Geneva Accord. The real question remains not what Israel wants to accomplish with Gaza disengagement but what happens afterward. How do the Israelis envision the situation 20 or 25 years from now? What should the map look like?
The same thing holds true for Abbas, the Fatah movement and Hamas. What do they see the map looking like 25 years from now? How do they perceive relationships between a Palestinian and an Israeli state? What are the structures they envision for a Palestinian state?
What is missing in the public discourse today is a shared vision of what the solution would look like in the long run. That is what we’re seeking, and it is this vision of a sustainable peace that characterizes the Geneva Accord. We were pleased to play even a minor role in assisting its authors.
Matthew Hodes directs the Conflict Resolution Program at the Carter Center
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