Last Monday was supposed to celebrate the first visible evidence of a Palestinian-Israeli peace accord - the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip and around the city of Jericho. Instead, the deadline was not met, the troops are still in place and frustration and bitterness are sweeping across the occupied territories.
What has happened is that the broad and general agreement worked out between Israel and the PLO last September was just that - broad and general. Getting the details resolved is proving more difficult.The sticking points include how far Israeli forces will pull back from Jericho; Israel's insistence on keeping sole control over border crossings to Egypt and Jordan; maneuverability of Israeli forces in chasing guerrillas when Jewish settlers come under attack.
Another source of conflict is not even on the bargaining table. Israel is starting work on a security fence along the entire 38-mile section that separates the Gaza Strip from Israel.
Much to the consternation of Palestinians, the fence is being planned on Palestinian land instead of on the Israeli side of the border. As a result, some 445 acres of Palestinian farm land and orchards are being confiscated to make room for the fence. Even after the Israelis have left the Gaza Strip, the fence will remain as an ignominious symbol of Palestinian land lost once again to Israel. Is this really necessary? It smacks too much of arrogance.
When withdrawal negotiations broke up last week without agreement, further negotiations were scheduled in 10 days. As PLO chief Yasser Arafat said, "Ten days is not a long time" and he is right. But it was Arafat himself who said earlier that the Dec. 13 deadline for Israeli withdrawal was "sacred." The failure to meet that goal can only damage the credibility of the peace talks.
In addition, the delay will only fuel further violence. Some 41 Palestinians and 14 Israelis have been killed since the peace accord was signed Sept. 13. More acts of violence occur each day. Each death makes eventual peace that much more difficult. And there are plenty of radicals on both sides who would just as soon seen the peace effort fail. They prefer war and total victory as the only acceptable answers - unacceptable as they are.
Some Palestinians regard the limited withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and Jericho as too little, too late and are not prepared to work toward an independent Palestinian state one slice at a time. They are as critical of Arafat as they are of the Israelis.
This ideological split within the PLO and other groups will make any embryonic Palestinian state unstable and violent. Hard-liners among the Palestinians already have murdered some of their moderate countrymen. Delays only feed the bitterness, undercut the moderates and give strength to the radicals.
Certainly, all the details of Israeli withdrawal must be clearly hammered out in advance, and 10 days won't be fatal. But the cause of peace has suffered another setback in the volatile Middle East. Let's hope the next deadline will produce more positive results.