ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the vast array of changes, and assess their influence on the possibility of maintaining a Middle East peace process. The events preceding and following the Gulf War brought the Arab-Israel peace process full circle — and more. The Arabs of the West Bank and Gaza, along with the Palestinian majority in Jordan, constituted Saddam's most important constituency outside Iraq itself. The common wisdom holds that the war opened a 'window of opportunity' for a peaceful settlement of the Arab-Israel conflict, in that it softened the historic hostility between Israel and some Arab parties. The considerations and reasoning that informed this Syrian about-face can hardly be reliably analyzed at this early junction. The Gulf War had enabled Cairo to complete the process of reclaiming full-fledged inter-Arab leadership status, without compromising its relations with Israel. The contrasts appeared to reflect fundamental differences in style or approach between the United States and the local actors.
