It took hands-on dealmaking by the secretary of state to broker some minor progress toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel and the Palestinians reached agreement Tuesday to open Gaza's borders, which will allow Palestinians to travel more freely and trigger the release of much-needed foreign aid. By putting the power of her office on the line, Condoleezza Rice helped keep the frustration with the pace toward Palestinian statehood from feeding support for Arab extremists.
Still, Rice's intervention shows how far apart these long-warring sides remain. Opening the crossings into Gaza will allow its 1.3-million residents to regain some semblance of normal life. The slum conditions that extremism preys on won't begin to fade until Palestinians enjoy free movement to jobs and access to outside goods and markets. Boosting Palestinians' sense of dignity also is a confidence-building step that could lessen the populist appeal of militant Arab groups.
Israeli security hinges on strengthening Gaza's economy. Beyond opening routes for truck traffic and workers, the deal allows the Palestinians to begin constructing a seaport and a number of infrastructure projects, from road and water lines to sanitation programs. Israel, in return, will receive closed-circuit TV surveillance of a Palestinian-controlled border crossing into Egypt. Israel should welcome this shift in world attention. The deal presents a mini-test of the Palestinians' ability to run an independent state. The Palestinian Authority must show it can keep the crossings from becoming routes to smuggle arms. If not, the Israelis can harden their position. If it goes well, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will gain credibility for a moderate agenda.
The Bush administration has resisted the sort of bold stroke Rice pulled off. While it worked, such heavy lifting should not have been necessary. It is a positive step that reflects just how difficult it will be to take the next one.
