Ambassador Robert Hunter, Senior Advisor, and Seth Jones, Political Scientist, both with the RAND Corporation and Rob Malley
from the International Crisis Group, discuss the current security
challenges in Israel and Palestine. After the Hamas victory in the
Palestinian elections, President Mahmoud Abbas has declared that Hamas
cannot form a government unless it renounces violence. The
international quartet (United States, United Nations, European Union
and Russia) have frozen aid until Hamas is committed to non-violence,
recognizes Israel and honors previous agreements including the Oslo
accords. The Palestinian authority is struggling under large debts and
the practicalities of running a government, including paying salaries,
the maintenance of security and control of militias. Can these
positions be reconciled and can the situation be stabilized? Rob Malley
will address the political implications of the Hamas victory. Robert
Hunter and Seth Jones, authors of a new RAND study on Palestinian
security, will offer their assessment of the challenges and policy
options open to promote stability in the region.
