Egypt

Israel Discusses Peace in Middle East

Israeli President Shimon Peres has met with the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, to discuss Middle East peace. Peres has stated that Israel is open to an Arab peace plan aimed at bringing an end to hostilities with Arab nations. Peres further commented that “over the past century there hasn’t been any period where reaching peace was more possible than now. It would be a mistake to miss it.” Peres is supporting a peace proposal first put forward by Saudia Arabia in 2002 that discusses a negotiation for a broad peace settlement to include all Arab countries. Peres and Mubarak also discussed the fate of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and Israel’s ceasefire with the Gaza Strip. Egypt has been helping in negotiations between a potential prisoner exchange between Israel and the leaders of the Palestine Hamas movement. They are proposing a deal in which Hamas would release the Israeli in exchange for freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Through their cooperative efforts, both Israel and Egypt have displayed characteristics of the liberal perspective. Not only have Israel and Egypt emphasized diplomacy, but they have shown how interaction between states can help to solve problems that are occurring throughout the world. States, like Israel and Egypt, have a better chance to reciprocate with one another if they interact more frequently. Moreover, through their peace talk and negotiation regarding a potential prisoner exchange between Israel and the leaders of the Palestine Hamas movement, Israel and Egypt are linking each other together. Through this discussion, Egypt and Israel will develop habits of diplomacy that may facilitate cooperation in the future. Israel and Egypt are illustrating the concept of interdependence through their meeting as well as reciprocity in their negotiation for a prisoner exchange. While Egypt is helping to mediate the conflict between Israel and Palestine, its involvement in the conflict demonstrates a desire for prosperity and peace in that region that may further economic relations as well.

Liberal

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/10/20081023132810733546.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7685619.stm

October 24, 2008 at 10:47 am