European leaders, the United States, Israel and other countries all welcomed the election of Mahmoud Abbas as the new Palestinian leader. They have also expressed hopes that his opposition to violence against Israelis will bring about new Middle East peace talks.

In Europe, the hopes pinned on Abbas were particularly significant since European leaders have longed aspired to help end the Middle East conflict as part of their carving out a greater role for their uniting continent on the world stage.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said his country and other European nations would do everything possible to help Abbas create an “independent, viable and democratic” Palestinian state. “I trust that the Palestinian people will follow the path you have chosen of renouncing violence and carrying out comprehensive reforms,” he wrote in a telegram to Abbas.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Abbas via telephone discussed plans for an international meeting in London on

1 March, which would aim to help the Palestinian Authority build its political and security apparatus and infrastructure.

American President George W. Bush has already offered to meet the newly-elected Palestinian leader at the White House.

But while putting out a welcome mat that never was there for Yasser Arafat, the US President gave no sign that he was relenting in the demands he made of Abbas’ predecessor – fight terror against Israel and adopt a competent security

system.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan

congratulated Abbas on his mandate and the Palestinian Central Elections Commission on conducting a credible and genuine election.

Annan said he looked forward to working with the new president on implementing a road map to peace and achieving a viable Palestinian state.

All this shows that it could be the dawn of a new era for a shattered Middle East. What one now hopes is that words are turned into action and that all parties concerned – and this includes countries that are not directly involved in the dispute but which can play important roles in the search for a peaceful solution – do their bit.

Israel and the United States shunned the previous long-time Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat as a terrorist – especially after a previous peace effort was scuttled by the outbreak of violence in 2000. But he was still viewed in much of Europe as a potential peacemaker and legitimate leader.

Arafat’s death in November has pushed aside that issue and instead, rare international consensus was reached last Monday in the expressed hope that Abbas can end the fighting.

In Israel, a more dovish coalition took power on Monday, another step towards a planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and four small West Bank settlements in the summer. Although Israel had planned to take the steps unilaterally, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s new Labour Party partners prefer co-ordination.

Labour leader Shimon Peres praised Abbas as a wise leader and expressed hope that peace talks could resume. “If he (Abbas) makes a maximum effort to fight terror, in my view this is good enough to return to negotiations,” he said.

Abbas’ main challenge now is to show his control in subduing militants. He knows that he could easily lose his political strength if there is a major attack on Israel. His main concern is that although many militant groups have shown their goodwill, others are not prepared for a truce.

Too much blood has already been shed in the Middle East. There have also been too many promises of peace in a region that for many years has been an area of conflict.

The Israeli and Palestinian leaders now have the duty to make another attempt towards achieving a peaceful solution. The international community, for its part, has the duty to give its support in this quest.