A step towards peace

THE Israeli decision to thin out its tank, artillery and troop strength along the Suez Canal is a small gesture of peace in the tension-packed West Asian situation. Indeed, the question of war and peace in that sensitive region, to a great extent, hinges on such small gestures, though they may not by themselves lead to a permanent peace. The Israeli Premier, Yitzhak Rabin, who completed the first year of his office on June 1, said Israel was responding to Egypt’s reopening of the Suez waterway scheduled for Thursday, and added: “The Government of Israel considers the renewal of international shipping as an important and constructive development.” There have been some other hopeful developments too, like the Syrian extension of the UN mandate and the statement by the new King of Saudi Arabia that he was prepared to recognise Israel within the 1967 boundaries. The Arabs also now seem reconciled to the existence of Israel, though they are not yet ready to extend diplomatic recognition to it. Although the American image has been shattered by events in the Far East, Egyptians remain convinced that, short of another war, only the US has the power to move the Israelis out of Sinai. How far Egyptian hopes would be realised is difficult to say at this stage. For, the West Asian conflict has passed into a paradoxical stage. The much-vaunted military disengagement pacts masterminded by Henry Kissinger secured little more than a fragile truce. The failure of the US Secretary of State in March to obtain a second disengagement between Egypt and Israel has led all parties to reassess policies.