University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation

The Middle East peace process is now moving more rapidly than ever before. Many actors in the region have displayed a newfound willingness to adopt innovative approaches to resolving persistent conflicts. Though many obstacles remain, the end of the Cold War, the accord signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in September 1993, and other recent hopeful developments in the bilateral and multilateral talks have opened the door to real progress in regional security and arms control. The door may quickly shut, however, if promising signs are not translated into concrete, practical, and verifiable agreements.