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Winners and losers: Arafat, Hussein, Clinton and Netanyahu.
litical winner last week — but, the latitude given him last week
by an administration eager to
possibly, a diplomatic loser.
The widely reported meeting avoid any unnecessary pre-elec-
gave him a stage for acting pres- tion controversy.
If Mr. Netanyahu can concoct
idential and statesmanlike, al-
ways a plus during a presidential a formula for advancing the Is-
raeli-Palestinian peace process
campaign.
His positive showing was only in the non-stop negotiations that
reinforced by strident attacks by began on Sunday, the summit
Republican leaders who loudly will turn into a long-term success
complained about American for him; if he fosters a perception.
"pressure" on Israel when it was that he sabotaged the new talks
evident from the outset that pres- by refusing to give an inch, he
sure was the last thing Clinton will find it harder to keep the lid
on Palestinian anger, and he will
and company had in mind.
But Mr. Clinton's reluctance face an angry Clinton adminis-
to speak out forcefully against tration that, after Nov. 5, is like-
Mr. Arafat's role in encouraging ly to be liberated from its current
protests that led to the recent vi- political constraints.
A Republican victory probably
olence, and his kid-gloves treat-
ment of Mr. Netanyahu, will would not change that reality.
make his job as peacemaker For all of Bob Dole's attempts to
much harder in the future; his portray himself as a virtual
politically inspired caution may Likudnik, his long and troubling
have deeply undercut America's Senate record suggests that he
credibility with both sides as a will be just as likely as George
Bush to squeeze Jerusalem when
facilitator in the negotiations.
The Middle East peace process Israeli policy conflicts with per-
has become immeasurably more ceived American interests.
Although his very presence in
complicated in recent weeks, but
so far, Mr. Clinton has not made Washington can be counted as a
it clear how American policy will kind of victory, it is hard to avoid
the conclusion that the biggest
be adjusted.
Syrian President Hafez al-As- loser at last week's summit was
sad, who didn't even receive an Mr. Arafat. To a great extent, the
invitation, was a limited winner PLO leader has only himself to
blame.
last week.
The violence that precipitated
The Syrian strongman has
worked hard to convince his Arab the summit was, to a degree, a
neighbors that negotiations with product of his dangerous
Israel are a sham; the near- brinkmanship; the image of his
breakdown in the peace process out-of-control Palestinian Au-
during the recent fighting thority police firing at Israeli
strengthened his hand. And Mr. troops will continue to haunt
Assad negotiates only when even peace-minded Israelis for
dragged kicking and screaming months to come.
Mr. Netanyahu's triumph at
to the table; the shift in Ameri-
can attention to the battered Is- the summit, and the fact that the
raeli-Palestinian track means Israeli leader couldn't even bring
diminished pressure on the Syr- himself to call Arafat "Mr.
Arafat," will further weaken the
ian leader to get serious.
Mr. Netanyahu was a clear Palestinian leader in his fight for
political survival.
short-term winner.
That might be satisfying for
He was summoned to Wash-
ington by an angry administra- American Jews who resent the
tion, but he was not pushed into PLO leader's uneven, ambiva-
making even minor concessions, lent compliance with the Oslo ac-
enabling him to go back home cords. But lest we forget, the only
alternative to Mr. Arafat are the
and claim victory.
But in the long term, the dura- Islamic fundamentalists whose
bility of Mr. Netanyahu's victo- idea of "peace" involves an Israel
ry depends on what he does with devoid of Jews.
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