DAVOS, Switzerland, 28 January 2007 — “There is new international attention and willpower to end the long and destructive Arab-Israeli conflict,” said Jordan’s King Abdallah yesterday.

Delivering a special message to participants at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, the Jordanian king said: “We cannot afford to miss this opportunity. All of us have a contribution to make to marshal global commitment and resources, and to help create a new dynamic of hope in the Middle East.”

“The continued denial of Palestinian rights is a fire starter for global and regional crises, crises that are arising more frequently,” the king said. “If you don’t fix the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, you can’t have stability in the region. We will all pay the price for what I think may be the last opportunity. Let’s launch this process.”

Looking ahead, the king envisioned a Middle East where people can go to shop or work without fear, where ambulances do not have to face checkpoints to get the sick to hospitals, and where young people are able to build families and plan long careers.

The king’s vision also included an expanding regional economy, whose resources and energies go into what he said productive growth, not wasteful conflict. “History shows that peace and progressive policies can create economic miracles,” he said. “This can happen in the Middle East.”

Referring to an Arab peace initiative that offers full peace and normal relations between Israel and all Arab states and calls for a two-state solution based on an Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied since 1967, King Abdallah appealed to the Israeli public: “Work with us. Isolation and unilateral action can never lead to a positive future that you and your neighbors want and need.

“To the Palestinian people I say: The Arab peace initiative can deliver on its promise: lasting independence, security and a share in the opportunities of the 21st century.”

Appealing to the international community, he said: “You have a historic role and responsibility to stand behind peace. No one does that better than the achievers in this room — regional and international business, NGOs and other civic groups are urgently needed.”

At another Middle East-related session yesterday, Al-Jazeera English TV’s Riz Khan said: “The more we talk about the Middle East, the more we seem to talk about divisions.”

Riz Khan met with key political figures from Iraq and the region to discuss different scenarios on reducing those divisions and finding a stable future for Iraq. This included addressing the pros and cons of federalism, as well as engaging with the country’s neighbors.

One Iraqi official noted that his government is under no illusion that the transition from dictatorship to democracy will be easy, and said that the situation on the ground, especially the security situation, is critical. A more efficient government, improved security and national conciliation are needed to stabilize the country, he said, and affirmed that dialogue with Iran and Syria is necessary.

Another Iraqi official took up the security issue, saying that the Iraqi Army needs to be reorganized into a professional force loyal to the state in order to stop infiltration by illegal armed militias. He advocated a federal system where the central government is strong and has authority over its natural resources. He also called for a new government, one in which ministerial portfolios are given to individuals based on experience and not sectarian identity.

“The only future for Iraq is to stay united. There is a need for strong government trusted by the people and with power to impose its will and maintain law and order,” he said, adding that civil society has an important role to play in rebuilding the country.

On security prerequisites, one Iraqi group noted that it is important to recommit to a strong central government, and that a unified Iraq can only be achieved through serious investment on the part of the Arab world as a whole.

Another group focused on engagement with Iran and Syria, as well as the Arab world. One participant noted the lack of embassies of Arab countries in Iraq and said that more representation would help reach out to the Iraqi people. The group could not reach a consensus on whether a US withdrawal from Iraq would help or hurt the overall security situation.