India, peacebroker

As a country that maintains excellent relations with both Israel and the Arab world, India may soon be required to play a larger role in the Middle East peace process. The request is expected to be made during an international conference on the Israeli-Arab conflict called by US President George W. Bush later this year. The main goal of the conference is to bolster the moderate Arabs in the region.

Bush called the conference in the aftermath of Hamas’s violent takeover of the Gaza Strip, home to some 1.4 impoverished Palestinians, last June. The defeat of the forces loyal to moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the Gaza Strip has raised concerns in Washington and European capitals that the Iran-backed Hamas would try to repeat its victory in the West Bank, where some 1.5 million Palestinians live.

Abbas and his advisors are planning to use the conference podium to demand the deployment of an international peace-keeping force in the Palestinian territories. They want the force in the Gaza Strip as a way of undermining Hamas’s influence there and in the West Bank to serve as a buffer between the Palestinians and Israel. The Palestinians believe that the deployment of an international peace-keeping force in southern Lebanon last year, in which Indian peacekeepers are represented, has reduced tensions between Israel and Hizbullah.

About 100 Indian peacekeepers are also deployed along the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria. The Palestinians’ hope is that a similar, but much larger force comprising thousands of troops from India and other countries will ease tensions with Israel.

“India can play a big and positive role in our region,” said a senior aide to President Abbas in Ramallah. “Indian troops in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is a very good and welcome idea. India has always had good relations with both Israel and Palestine.” India, he added, also has an interest in boosting moderate Muslims in the face of radical Islamic groups like Hamas, Hizbullah and Al-Qaeda. “Islamic fundamentalism is spreading and threatening all secular democracies.”

Arab political analysts appear divided on Bush’s initiative. While some have welcomed the conference as evidence that Washington is finally getting serious about reviving the peace process, others fear that Bush is trying to form an Arab alliance ahead of an attack on Iran.

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India, peacebroker

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