The initiative for the Gaza withdrawal came from Prime Minister Sharon, and it was a remarkable exercise in statesmanship. This was an independent decision made by the Israeli government necessary for the future of Israel, for its defense line, for its economy and for its relations with the United States. The evacuation went far faster and smoother than anyone expected. This was due in large part to the very careful and precise preparations by the Israeli military and police who were prepared for every contingency. Although there were some acts of violence aimed at Israeli soldiers by settlers, on the whole the process demonstrated an acceptance by the Israeli populous, including the vast majority of the settlers of the rule of law.

Now that this Gaza withdrawal has been completed, the question is what happens next with respect to the Israeli Palestinian conflict? There are some who have argued in the Washington Post and elsewhere that since Israel has taken this first step toward making peace and reaching an accommodation with the Palestinians, it is now up to the United States to immediately lean hard on Israel and Sharon to make further withdrawals from all the West Bank and to push hard on the roadmap for peace issued by President Bush. These commentators are absolutely wrong by 180 degrees. It would be totally counterproductive for the United States or anyone else for that matter to demand immediate next steps. Rather, what is urgently required is a time out which will benefit both sides and ultimately advance the peace process.

On the Israeli side, there must be time to absorb this very significant development, reflect upon it as a nation and decide what further steps make sense. Prime Minister Sharon faces a difficult political situation with the resignation of his rival Benjamin Netanyahu and he faces the prospect of new elections in an unsettled political landscape. By advocating and forcing through by the sheer strength of his personality the Gaza withdrawal, Sharon may have lost majority support in his right wing Likud party. He may end up forming a new party closer to the center and if that party prevails in the next election, Sharon’s ability to make peace will be further strengthened.

On the Palestinian side, there is now a new reality and the possibility of peace and statehood. However, the Palestinians must have leadership with the courage to build on the Israeli withdrawal and not to permit this major step toward a potential peace turn into another devastating downward spiral toward violence. Again, letting time pass is absolutely necessary.

The Palestinians need this time and the foreign assistance which has been promised to make an economic success out of Gaza. They have to build more homes, strengthen the economy of Gaza, create more jobs and let their people believe that there will be a safer, more prosperous future.

First and foremost, this means that Abbas must reign in the terrorists within the Palestinian community from Hamas and other organizations. The time has passed for vague indefinite promises now that Israel has withdrawn from Gaza. Abbas must act to disarm the terrorists in the Palestinian community and to redeem his pledge that the Palestinians will be one people under a single government.

It is significant that there was no violence from the Palestinian side during Israel’s Gaza withdrawal. What this means is that either Abbas has found a way to control the terrorists or Hamas leaders decided that violence against the Israelis was not in their own interest. Likewise, the wild and chaotic scenes of Palestinians shooting guns into the air and asserting that the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza constituted a victory for them and a victory for terrorism did not occur. This indicates that control over the extreme elements in the Palestinian society can be exercised when the leaders decide that they want to do so. Now is the time to ensure that that control is solidified.

Any coercive steps taken by the United States at this point would serve to hurt the peace process. There is a time to act and a time to pause and take stock. The latter is what should happen in the Israeli Palestinian dispute. Preliminary indications are that that President Bush and Condoleezza Rice wisely agree with this conclusion.