Isreal appears serious about the Gaza pullout. So much so that they are doing what the Palestinians have so far refused to do. They are engaging their own militants with troops and forcing them to comply with leadership.

The peace process between Isreal and Palestine will be a long one. The question has always been, which generation of leadership will stop the cycle of violence and take serious steps to indicate to the other they will not break peace to retaliate against brief or isolated breaches. Which generation of leadership will adopt peace instead of demanding it?

Sharon, the hawk, has the upper hand, and his negotiational position on other issues is strengthened if this current withdrawal is completed without further set-backs.

In order to have any hope of a similar process in the West Bank, Palestinian leadership needs to respond with their own initiative. They need to be seen to be leading the process as well.

The time is ripe.