NEW YORK — As the United Nation’s annual General Assembly continued to meet, drawing high-ranking diplomats of the 190 member-states for general debate, Israel and the organized Jewish community and lobbyists are gauging the international climate and making their case for peace and for Israel.
And it seems as if the world has begun to understand Israel’s security needs, widespread criticism of Yasser Arafat and his policies, and little steps toward breaking the diplomatic deadlock on the Israeli-Palestinian front.
Converging around the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the United Nations seems to realize this is a tenuous time. Since the attacks, a concerted effort against all forms of terror as a universal danger has begun.
Now, there is a sense among observers that with the threat of war against Iraq ahead and a battery of attacks still buffeting the Middle East, the United Nations no longer has the luxury for polemics.
“Last year, more countries seemed focused on sort of scoring debating points by chastising Israel for its alleged behavior, its alleged intransigence,” said David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres indicated that a breakthrough with the Palestinians was near, telling Russian, Chinese and Spanish foreign ministers on Sunday, “We must be very cautious not to miss this opportunity.”
Still, Peres criticized a Palestinian proposal Tuesday for a cease-fire in two phases.
He said the proposal is not worthy of consideration because in the first phase, the killing of noncivilians would be permitted. Palestinians refer to civilians as those living in Israel, but they regard Israeli soldiers and settlers as combatants.
The Palestinian offer specified no timelines for the cease-fire and made no demands on Israel, according to an Israeli official. In meeting with their counterparts this week, the Israelis realize the necessity of making concessions for peace — they say the question comes down to the integrity of the Palestinians.
To that end, Peres said Palestinians must appoint a prime minister, accelerate reform of its government and security system and crack down on corruption.
In his speech to the General Assembly, Peres also drew parallels between Israel and the world, in its quest for freedom and war on terror.
Israel “offered the Palestinians a comprehensive solution without the terror, a solution that was close to their national aspirations.
“We related to their desire to be free, to be equal, independent. We agreed that they would have their land in accordance with United Nations’ resolutions.”
But Peres was optimistic and called the debate occurring among the Palestinians the “profound” symbol of the dawn of democracy, and spoke of separating politically into two states with a coordinated economy.
Furthermore, he added, President Bush’s vision for peace “outlines a political goal and a timetable” and has the support of Arab countries along with the diplomatic “Quartet” — Russia, the United States, the United Nations and the European Union.
Along with meetings with Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Peres met with members of the Quartet on Tuesday.
In that meeting, the Quartet stated that it “deplored and condemned the morally repugnant violence and terror, which must end.” It did not specify whether it meant Israel or Palestinian violence, or both.
The Quartet outlined a process, which it would monitor, under which Israel would withdraw to the pre-intifada lines and a Palestinian state would emerge, with provisional borders by 2003 and a permanent-status solution by 2005.
“Despite the public appearance, this is not a static moment,” AJCommittee’s Harris said midway through more than 60 diplomatic meetings to address, among other issues, Israel’s quest for peace and rising anti-Semitism.
In general, he said foreign leaders make fewer references now to the once-popular condemnation of Israel’s “excessive use of force,” Harris said.
Perhaps at the heart of the shift in tone is the “growing awareness that terrorism is terrorism is terrorism, and that if suicide bombers can succeed in New York or Tel Aviv, they can succeed anywhere,” Harris said.
Jewish leaders on the scene related a growing disenchantment with the Palestinian leadership.
“I think that they see that Arafat is not the answer,” said Daniel Mariaschin, executive vice president of B’nai B’rith International, which holds some 20 diplomatic meetings.
“I think they realize the ball really now is squarely in the Palestinian court,” he said.
Israel agrees, and Peres said there is “more consensus than ever before” that reforming the Palestinian Authority is necessary to reach peace.