Ask the Expert: Brian Katulis on Israel and Palestine

What will be the focus of George Mitchell's trip to the Middle East this week?

Envoy Mitchell, I think, will be focused on two main issues: one, the continued discussion of a settlement freeze--the discussion that Israel and the United States have been having for the last couple of weeks over whether Israel will in fact freeze construction and the growth of settlements in the occupied territories. A second issue, I think, that they've been conducting quite diplomacy on is the question of movement and access for Palestinians. There are about 600 internal checkpoints in the West Bank, which actually impede economic development and commerce. And the Mitchell team has been actually quietly pressing the Israelis to move forward on opening up some of these blockades to help the Palestinian economy grow a bit.

I think they will also discussion, in addition to those two issues--the settlements and movement and access in the West Bank--the issue in Gaza. The Gaza Strip has essentially been sealed off and the humanitarian crisis has, I think, been growing. This, I think, has been a steady issue of concern on the part of the Obama administration. Those are the three main things I think Mitchell will talk about, and I hope he will also use this as an opportunity to push both Israelis and Palestinians towards a broader strategy for achieving the two-state solution that President Obama has stated that he would like to achieve.

What is the Obama administration's strategy towards Israel and Palestine?

At this point, the Obama administration's strategy has largely been focused on achieving a two-state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict. More so than any other president, President Obama has consistently and clearly called for this two-state solution from the get-go--from the earliest days in office. Now the question is, what's his strategy? Now I don't think he has a clear and well-defined strategy just yet. He has a series of tactics and important initiatives that are aimed at boosting the Palestinian economy, trying to train up the security forces of the Palestinian Authority, trying to bridge some divides between Israelis and Palestinians, but as yet, we don't have a clearly defined strategy, in large part because, as President Obama says, it's tied to broader dynamics in the region.

So the strategy, I think, five months into this new administration, still is a work in progress. I think they have taken some steps in the right direction, but I think it is time for some more audacious and bold moves on the part of President Obama, otherwise we risk the strategy getting mired in the some the key tactics--some the initiatives that I think are import, but by themselves will not lead to a two-state solution.

What should the Obama administration been focusing on the in the coming weeks?

I think one thing it needs to do is unveil a broader strategy that connects the Israeli-Palestinian track with the broader efforts in the region to try to bring about a comprehensive peace. A second thing I think they really need to think about is what to do about the divisions among Palestinians. Essentially since 2006, when the Palestinians had their last election, there have been bitter divisions that have plagued the Palestinian Authority. One division is between Fatah and Hamas, the two main parties out there, and essentially there is no agreement on who is the legitimate leader of the Palestinian Authority, and this is a major challenge. To get a two-state solution, to get to a sustainable peace agreement, you need some sort of entity on the Palestinian side that is endowed with the respect, and has authority from its own people, and you don't have that right now.

I think the Obama administration needs to think through right now what its strategy is if the Palestinians move forward with elections in January of 2010, which is only about six months away, will be support those elections? If Hamas wins those elections, will be support the results of those elections? These are difficult questions that go well beyond the economy development initiatives the support for the security services in the Palestinian Authority, and I think we need a clear answer to those questions. It's a key question that needs to be answer to get to that two-state solution.