Sage advice from greybeards

To move to solution of the Israel-Palestine impasse, the President must enunciate a clear and fair position. Scowcroft and Brzezinski endorse the appointment of a highly respected dignitary to see that the principles are fairly implemented. This individual must have impeccable credibility with both sides; otherwise, don't bother.
Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski - Obama and Arab-Israeli Peace - washingtonpost.com
"To date, the weakness of the negotiating parties has limited their ability to come to an agreement by themselves. The elections in Israel scheduled for February are certainly a complicating factor, as is the deep split among Palestinians between Fatah and Hamas. But if the peace process begins to gain momentum, it is difficult to imagine that Hamas will want to be left out, and that same momentum would provide the Israeli people a unique chance to register their views on the future of their country.

"This weakness can be overcome by the president speaking out clearly and forcefully about the fundamental principles of the peace process; he also must press the case with steady determination. That initiative should then be followed -- not preceded -- by the appointment of a high-level dignitary to pursue the process on the president's behalf, a process based on the enunciated presidential guidelines. Such a presidential initiative should instantly galvanize support, both domestic and international, and provide great encouragement to the Israeli and Palestinian peoples."