folo

Retired general and former U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Anthony Zinni tells CNN that

if Obama hopes to forge a peace deal, he needs to do it at the beginning of his administration.

“You make a commitment that no matter what happens, you’ll stick with it,” Zinni said on CNN’s “American Morning.” “We have enough agreements in principle that never worked out. I would say — start from the beginning, be determined, stick with it and don’t repeat the mistakes of the past and the processes of the past that did not work.”

In order for the new administration to engage with Hamas, Zinni said the militant group must be willing to end its rocket attacks and violence against Israel and commit to a peace process.

In the long term, Zinni said, the next administration will have to take a new approach in dealing with the problem.

“The old way of using envoys and summits and us putting plans on the table — that has never worked. I think we need a fresh start, more involved, a greater presence on the ground and a commitment to do it throughout the term of an administration,” Zinni said.

Greater presence on the ground? ongoing commitment? What — a permanent State Department sub-office (with special envoy) inside Gaza itself, or some such? Talk about your hazardous duty.

I wonder how Secretary-in-waiting Clinton receives this idea. Not that long ago she was declaring to AIPAC, “Here is how I feel: until Hamas renouncing terrorism and recognizes Israel, negotiating with Hamas is unacceptable for the United States.”

Not only does Zinni’s idea make better sense (since HRC’s makes none) and may appeal to Obama’s taste for a challenge, but another quote from the CNN story seems to make room for something like this:

Asked Sunday if the Obama administration would be as supportive of Israel as the Bush administration has been, Obama’s senior adviser said the president-elect would “honor” what he sees as “the special relationship between the United States and Israel.”

“But he will do so in a way that will promote the cause of peace, and work closely with the Israelis and the Palestinians on that — toward that objective,” David Axelrod said.

But first let’s see how far from her announced position Madame Secretary may be willing to dance (if, indeed, she’s ever asked or ordered to).