The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been inching forward. There has been some progress as Palestinian officials continue to try to crack down on terrorists, and Israel dismantles some Jewish settlements in occupied territories. Predictably, each action generates its own reaction. Palestinian militants have threatened to end their ceasefire, and Israel continues construction of the fence that will separate its territory from that of Palestine -- and determine the contours of the two states regardless of history and law.
The foundation of the revitalized peace process is a real Palestinian commitment to cracking down on terrorists striking Israel. That process is never easy, but it has been made infinitely harder by Israel's destruction of the Palestinian security apparatus over the past two years. Tel Aviv has been accused of doing that to ensure that Palestinians cannot meet Israeli security demands.
Nonetheless, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas knows that his people's future rests on a genuine battle against terrorists opposed to the peace process. Since taking office earlier this year, he has attempted to rein them in. Last weekend, Palestinian security forces arrested 20 members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a group of hardliners that had taken refuge in President Yasser Arafat's headquarters after being accused of attacks on Israel.