Consensus in DC: US must work to resolve the Palestine - Israel conflict.

Congress: let’s punish Palestinians some more.

Baker, Hamilton, Eagleberger, Minetta, Mitchell, — suddenly everyone is echoing the need to solve the Palestine - Israel conflict. According to James Baker, “every single person, almost without exception, that we talked to, counseled us about the importance of solving, at least trying to solve the Arab Israeli dispute”.

At the same time congress is voting on a bill to punish Palestinians for exercising their right to vote as insisted upon by the US and the international community. The US Campaign to End the Occupation has issued an action alert to call and ask President Bush to veto the bill.

No-where on US television, during any of these discussions, was there any mention of the Palestinian anti-terrorism act.

There is certainly no shortage of misstatements even by those calling for US involvement to solve the crisis. There is also no acknowledgment of US culpability for the situation that Palestinians are forced to endure. But collectively, I sense a shift happening. One can hope.

Another of the central recommendations of the Iraq Study Group is to talk to Iran and Syria. There was predictable opposition from people like Joe Lieberman. But again, the chorus is loud and clear and has some powerful voices in it.