Prospects for Mideast Peace	August 30, 2002 • Volume 12, Issue 29
Are Arafat and Sharon stumbling blocks to peace?

By David Masci

Introduction

An Israeli tank stops a young Palestinian outside the West Bank town of Nablus on July 11, 2002. In a hunt for violent militants, Israeli troops have occupied many areas in the Palestinian territories since April, cutting off outside traffic and access to food, power and even water. (AFP Photo/Jaafar Ashtiyeh)

In a surprise move last February, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah called on Arab states to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for the Jewish state's withdrawal from the occupied territories. The plan initially received widespread support, but the optimism was short-lived. Since then, hundreds of civilians have been killed in a succession of Palestinian suicide attacks and Israeli military reprisals. The violence prompted President Bush to float his own peace plan in June, calling for a halt to Israel's controversial construction of settlements in the occupied territories, creation of an independent Palestinian state and replacement of longtime Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. But some observers say hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon also is an obstacle to peace.

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