Dr. James Zogby: Today was in fact a historic day. The first time in almost a century of conflict, the Israelis and Palestinians both accepted a two-state solution. As the Palestinian Prime Minister acknowledged that there has been terrible suffering on all sides, but a way must be found to put an end to the suffering to implement the vision of a two-state solution if the U.S. maintains its resolve and if the parties can find a way to stay on the path that they have embraced, this peace process may bear fruit.

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Miami, Fla.: Dr. Zogby... Thank you for taking my question!! Your work and knowledge on this issue is something to be proud of.

How far do you think Sharon will go with regards to the Road Map before he feels compelled to stop? Although an optimist, I feel the road map schedule will be hard to attain....Your thoughts please...

Best regards,
Ray M.

Dr. James Zogby: Ariel Sharon's agreeement to recognize an independent Palestinian state represents a significant departure for a leader from the Likud block. Already his opponents within his party have begun to use language about him that they had previously reserved for Prime Minister Rabin and Prime Minister Peres. It will be difficult for him to end settlement and to break with many of his own supporters. He will be able to do so only if President Bush continues to support and pressure Israelis to stay on the path. On the way, the debate in Israel will change and Sharon can win a majority of support as this peace process bears fruit. But it will be difficult, it will require a break with Sharon's past and his past ideology and it may create intense fighting within the Israeli community. But at the end of the day if this works, the benefits of peace will outweigh the hardships along the way.

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Mt. Lebanon, Pa.: Now that the photo ops with Arab leaders are over, do these same Arab leaders actually intend to get off their butts and actively, religiously engage the peace process or was Sharm el-Sheik just another in an unceasing yawn of press release puffery? I'm not excited about the prospects for permanent middle east peace -- but then I'm a realist not a doe-eyed dreamer. Thanks much. HLB

Dr. James Zogby: Beginning at the Beirut summit of 2002, the Arab League unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for a comprehensive peace indicating that they would recognize and normalize relations with Israel as part of that comprehensive piece. That was a historic breakthrough to which the Arab states remain committed. Over the years several Arab leaders have played a significant role in supporting Middle East peace. This and very recently countries like Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have all made significant contributions to assisting the "road map" and helping to make today's summit a reality.

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Alexandria, Va.: What do you think should happen to the descendants of the Palestinians who fled or were expelled from Israel in 1948?

Is peace possible if none (zero, nada, zippo) of these Palestinian refugees are allowed to settle in areas inside of Israel's pre-1967 borders?

Will the Palestinians accept a peace plan that includes only settling Palestinians in the future Palestinian state and never (meaning in zero cases) inside of the Jewish one?

Dr. James Zogby: The right to return is a fundamental and defining issue of Palestinian rights. There are millions of Palestinians who are a descendant of those who fled or were expelled in 1948 and the international community has continually endorsed their right to return. Nevertheless, President Arafat in a NY Times Op-ed last year and more recently Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas have indicated that some compromise on this issue is both necessary and possible.

What is important to realize however is that Palestinians will insist that their right to return be recognized. What they may accept is a negotiated resolution of how to implement that right. That may mean difficult choices for Palestinians. And it is the Palestinian hope that Israel will recognize how difficult negotiations on this issue will be.

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Peter, Miami, Fla.: What is the most likely senario for PA-Hamas relations in the near future? Israeli officials expect armed action against Hamas. Palestinian officials suggest non-violent negotiations. It is unclear what the U.S. expects. What is the real case?

Dr. James Zogby: It appears that both Israel and the U.S. have accepted a truce and a ceasefire as a way to pave the path for the "road map." The PA simply cannot engage in an inter-Palestinian civil war. If a non-violent negotiating process an end to violence, then that is important. What will ultimately make a difference in the end is if the Palestinians benefit from the peace and will the PA grow in strength in support among the Palestinian people thereby weakening those who resort to violence.

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St. Louis, Mo.: Dr. Zogby -- Is it important to remain focused solely on the Israeli-Palestinian track, or should there be some effort to include the Syrians and Lebanese in a parallel process?

Dr. James Zogby: There can be no final peace unless it is comprehensive. That means Syrian and Lebanese tracks must be resolved. In the past, Israel was able to play off one path against another. That cannot be allowed to happen. They must happen in tandum or await resolution to the Palestinian track.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Is there any real hope that this agreement will be any different than past ones? Israel refuses to do their part because they feel that the PA doesn't do enough to stop terrorists. The PA claims that they can't control the terrorists when Israel refuses to live up to their end of the bargain (e.g. building new settlements when they are supposed to be abandoning existing ones). Its chicken and egg, and I don't see how that can change.

Dr. James Zogby: The road map builds on the Mitchell plan which proposed simultaneous steps by Israelis and Palestinians. We saw the first steps today. They have to be taken together. It can't be chicken and egg -- it has to be chicken and egg together.

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Washington, D.C.: Mr Zogby,
Does this roadmap have a chance at peace considering it has the one major flaw that all the others did? That flaw being that all the MAJOR topics are kept until the end? Right of return, Jerusalem and final borders. Also, will an internation peacekeeping force be on the ground to actually make sure the plan is put into affect on both sides?

Dr. James Zogby: This is the major flaw. This road map only leads the parties back to the negotiating process. It does not in fact lead them to a final resolution of the conflict. That is why, once having started, the U.S. cannot afford to withdraw or back down until the conflict is truly resolved. That will require going beyond the road map to the implementation of a viable two-state solution that resolves all of the outstanding issues not unlike the plan proposed by President Clinton of January 2001. An international peacekeeping force would be a most desirable addition. If it had been present since the Palestinians first called for it in 1990, significant bloodshed would have been avoided.

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Malaga, Spain: I fear that important issues such as revisions to the road map to accommodate Israel's demands and objections voiced against the road map by leading members of the administration, majority of U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. These issues, I fear, will deliver a devastating blow to President Bush's vision for peace in the area. What is your view on these issues.

Dr. James Zogby: No doubt the President faces serious domestic opposition. Extremists in Congress and on the religious right are threatening to break with the President and have used inflammatory language to describe the road map. This is a risk but the President so far appears committed to the path of peace. With Afghanistan in tatters and Iraq in chaos, with two many unresolved questions about that war, I believe that the President needs to stay the course in this Middle East peace effort. If he succeeds, I believe that many of those (and many of those in his camp) opposed to him today will support his victory.

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Herndon, Va.: I spoke to my Mother and Father yesterday who live on the outskirts of Ramallah. Contrary to reports that the IDF has relaxed its closures, my parents report nothing has changed. The roads are still closed. A five minute ride to Ramallah still takes one hour. My sister cannot travel to Nablus to defend her dissertation. Do you feel the media has overblown the conciliatory steps taken by Israel?

Dr. James Zogby: The situation of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are deplorable. I was pleased to note President used the word "humiliation" to describe what the Palestinians must endure under Israeli occupation. It is almost an indescribable picture of economic deprivation and constant humiliation. With 70% unemployment, 60% of the population below the poverty level, people trapped in tiny cantons unable to move about with fear in the air and with violence that has taken the lives of almost 2400 people, this situation for Palestinians, though under-reported in the Western media, must end. Nevertheless, some of the steps taken by Israel are important but they are no where near enough. Palestinians must be treated like human beings.

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St. Louis, Mo.: Is the current composition of the Palestinian leadership -- with PM Abbas trying to assert himself but with President Arafat at times trying to subvert him -- sustainable? If not, what is likely to happen within the upper ranks of the PA?

Dr. James Zogby: Too much has been made of the internal Palestinian political situation and too often, President Arafat has been made into a scapegoat. He is the elected leader of Palestinians and for many a symbol of their struggle. But he is not without problems. Which leader is? This is not about personalities but it's about moving forward and ending an untenable situation. If the benefits of peace are realized by Palestinians, Prime Minister Abbas' tenure will be a success and he will be strengthened. If the Palestinians do not benefit from peace, if they are not freer or closer to their goal for independence, then Abbas will be weakened.

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Fort Lee, N.J.: Let's say the peace process finally succeeds and Israel agrees to the right of return and abandons the settlements in the West Bank. Do you honestly believe the suicide bombings will stop? How do we win the hearts and minds of the Gush Emunim and Hamas?

Dr. James Zogby: At the end of the day, we don't have to win the hearts and minds of the Gush Emunim and Hamas. We have to win the hearts and minds of the Israelis and Palestinians, thereby isolating these extremist groups and denying them support from the populations in both countries.

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Arlington, Va.: I wonder why to this day their is not a single viable pro-Arab entity in the United States. AIPAC is a monster and everyone with their point of view supports them and seemingly, just them. Why are Arab Americans unable to get an organization going to get their interests and dollars into the minds and campaigns of congressmen and Senators? Everyone knows that the truth and what is right does not "cut-it." It takes money and power.

Dr. James Zogby: We're trying. Check out our web site aaiusa.org and see what we do. We're like Avis, we try harder.

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Washington, D.C.: Dear Dr. Zogby,

According to Reuters, Mr. Rantisis of Hamas said that they will not "lay down their arms until the liberation of the last centimeter of the land of Palestine." Reuters said that Islamic Jihad "followed suit."

In your opinion, what should the Palestinian Authority, be it Mr. Arafat or Mr. Abbas, do about Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the other groups that will not play ball when it comes to achieving a two-state solution?

Dr. James Zogby: If a year from now, Palestinians are freer, economically prospering and seeing that a viable independent state is in their grasp, then groups that expouse violence will lose support that they currently have. These groups prey off of despair and anger. If you dramatically transform the lives of Palestinians and give them hope, the Palestinian authority will be better able to put in check the behavior of any rogue organization that seeks to disrupt or take away the benefits that have been won.

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Springfield, Va.: Dear Dr. Zogby:

What is being asked of the Arab states in the Roadmap? Are they being asked to recognize the state of Israel? Are they being asked to stop funding organizations that commit bombings and other terrorist acts? Should they be asked to do these things as part of the larger context of an Israeli-Palestinian peace effort? If the Palestinian Prime Minister is willing to meet Prime Minister Sharon, why is it too much to require that Arab heads of government also meet with Sharon?

Dr. James Zogby: Arab states have agreed to recognize and normalize relations with Israel in the context of a comprehensive peace. President Bush recognizes that as a significant breakthrough and it is. Normalization will come after peace is established -- not before.

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Washington, D.C.: Who knows if this will be a lasting solution, but at least today it is encouraging.

Though opinion data (like the new numbers reported today) show that Arab opnion of America (i.e, Bush) is extremely low, is there at least grudging acknowledement that his unambigious approach my in fact make life better in the Middle East (as it will for people in Iraq and hopefully Palestine and Israel). Further results will be a loosening or ending of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, liberalization in Syria and Saudi Arabia, etc.

Dr. James Zogby: In all the polling that we have done in the Arab world, we find that the major issue driving down Arab opinion of America is U.S. insensitivity to the rights of Palestinians and U.S. "blind" support for Israel. In many ways, Palestine has become an almost existential defining issue of Arab culture today. Look at the book we have recently published, "What Arabs Think", available at zogby.com and amazon.com.

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Ocean City, Md.: The Palestinians rejected offers of statehood in 1947, 1967, 1979 and 2000. Why does anyone think the Palestinians will accept it now when thier real goal has always been the complete destruction of Israel and not statehood?

Dr. James Zogby: This is one historical narrative but it is not a correct one. There was a reason why Palestinians did not accept the partition of Palestine in 1947. There was a reason why Palestinians did not accept the refugee status and sought to return to their homes and villages and refused to recognize Israel's existence. It is important to read the history and understand why those attitudes were there. It is also important to realize that those attitudes have changed.

Palestinians have come to accept the existence of Israel but demand in return at least the 22% of Palestine that was left after 1967. The offer that was made by Prime Minister Barak has been exaggerated and has become a myth of its own. Palestinians are willing to accept Israel if Israel accepts Palestine. That now appears to be what's on the table. We should work to make that vision a reality.

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Lyme, Conn.: In your polling of Arabs, doesn't a majority prefer peace? What do most Arabs see as a long term solution to resolving conflicts within the Middle East?

Dr. James Zogby: Our polling shows that most Arabs in fact want an end to conflict and the ability to control their own lives and live in peace. That has not been possible for over 100 years. Imperialism and colonialism have taken a terrible toll and the legacy of that toll is still with us. Just as I advised that people read Arab history to understand the forces that have shaped the contemporary Arab world, I also suggest that they read contemporary Arab writers to see how Arabs are reacting to their current dilemmas. Part of the problem that we have here in America is that all too often, we accept the Israeli narrative of history as the only history and others interpretations of Arab history and thought instead of seeing history through the eyes of the Arab people themselves.

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Rockville, Md.: Good morning,

It's hard not to be a skeptic regarding the present plan. Often in the past, the Israeli administration has made promises to stop and dismantle settlements and then turn around and grab more land. How can the Bush administration (other than by bribing Sharon) guarantee that this time around Israel can be trusted about stopping its expansionist plans and to end the brutal occupation of Palestinians? It's clear that without occupation, there would be no more incentives for terrorism.

Dr. James Zogby: It is easy to be a skeptic. Israelis have promised to stop building settlements. In 1991 they did an exchange for an end to the secondary Arab boycott and yet during the 1990s, settlement population in the West Bank doubled. That fact is not widely known here in the U.S. But what is clear today is that both sides have been exhausted by war and both sides are suffering. I believe that the combination of exhaustion and some pressure from the Bush administration is what brought Ariel Sharon this far. To keep Sharon moving on the path to peace, continued diplomatic pressure will be necessary.

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Washington, D.C.: Dear Doctor Zogby,

Discourse about Israel and Palestine always focuses on the Israeli Jews and the Palestinian Muslims inthe occupied territories for obvious reasons. What will this settlement mean for the many other religious and ethnic groups in Israel/Palestine? Especially, what will this mean for muslims living in Israel outside of the occupied territories?

Dr. James Zogby: I want to point out a group that is always missed in this discussion -- that is the Christian community. Palestinian Arab Christians, both those who are Israeli citizens and those who live in the West Bank and Gaza, have for too long been ignored especially by their Christian co-religionists in the west.
These Palestinian Christians like their Palestinian Muslim countrymen receive the same humiliating treatment by Israeli authorities and suffer the same treatment on a daily basis. The Palestinian Christians in Israel like their Muslim counterparts are treated third class citizens and denied equal rights as citizens of the state.

The treatment that they receive, for example, the religious right in America, is downright disgusting.
These communities have been in the holy land for 2000 years. Western pilgrims come and look at the churches and see the sights and ignore the real people, both Christians and Muslims who are suffering in this land. They are more than stones and should be paid attention to.

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Silver Spring, Md.: We often hear about the opinion of the so called, "Arab street" in the American press on this and other issues involving this region. Would you care to define this concept of the "Arab street" and how it might be misunderstood?

Dr. James Zogby: The preferred term would be Arab public opinion. The concept street can be misunderstood and appear to be demeaning almost like a faceless rabble. Arab public opinion like American public opinion is diverse and complex and as I found in my study is focused on largely personal and family concerns. When we ask the question "What matters most to you in life?" Arab like people all over the world, go to bed at night thinking about their children and wake up in the morning thinking about their jobs. They only think about foreign policy when it affects them directly.

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Dr. James Zogby: Thank you for all your questions. If you would like more information, contact our web site and we'll be happy to assist you.

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washingtonpost.com:

That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.

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