Resolution 1397 passed by the United Nations Security Council this week affirms "a vision of a region where two states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side within secure and recognised borders". This is the first time the creation of a Palestinian state has been mentioned in a Security Council resolution.
The unusual welcome for the text among Arab states, and by Palestinian and Israeli leaders alike, has been strongly reinforced by the fact that it was drafted by the United States, in what one diplomatic source described as "a skilful, sensible move by the US at the UN for the first time in years". Instead of sidelining the UN or vetoing a resolution that originated within the Arab group there, the US ambassador engaged fully and effectively.
This is a welcome change of approach. It is clearly linked to the visits by two senior US envoys to the Middle East region this week - General Anthony Zinni, President Bush's personal representative to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders and Vice-President Cheney to 12 states in an effort to gain support for a possible attack on Iraq. Mr Bush himself has stepped up his criticisms of Israeli policy.
Mr Cheney has been told repeatedly by Arab leaders that progress must be made on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict if they are to entertain US policy towards Iraq. That linkage is important; but if it turns out to be the sole motivation for this initiative, it is likely to be stillborn. US pressure on Israel and its full engagement with the peace process is essential if the objectives outlined in this UN resolution are to be achieved. It demands the "immediate cessation of all acts of violence, including all forms of terror, provocation, incitement and destruction". And it calls on the Israeli and Palestinian sides to revive the Tenet and Mitchell proposals on security and settlement negotiations. Substantively, there is little new in this text but symbolically it breaks new ground at a time when evidence of political will to halt the violence has been pitifully scarce. That will must be mobilised internationally as well as within Israeli and Palestinian politics.