To negotiate is always a better option for all sides then to lob rockets or send in tanks in retaliation.

The one fundamental thing we all forget is that Hamas won the election. While its philosophy and actions may not be particularly conducive to the peace process, Hamas has offered a ceasefire, and is the elected government of Palestine. It is time for all parties to bring them into the fold of a dialog.

To say that Hamas is against the State of Israel is effectively to limit the possibility of peace. It glosses over the fact that the PLO itself was a sworn enemy of Israel. And it overlooks the reality that Israel has not helped the peace process by its use of excessive force.

Unfortunately, we tend to forget that the root cause of the problem is as much a mistake of Israel as it is the intolerance of the Hamas. The economic blockade of Gaza has hurt the process and created a humanitarian crises that makes dialog all the more difficult. Israel's settlement policy has to be changed and the forceful eviction of Arabs from their homes has to be stopped.

The world is at a crossroad where the chances for peace cannot be simply be put aside on the pretext that one does not wish to include an element of political society that is a reality.

To argue that only the PLO and the Israelis can broker a peace ignores the political reality of elections. Dick Cheney's understanding of the region is appallingly bad and the way the American administration handled Iraq speaks for itself. Halevy is a realist: He understands that the political will has to back the need for peace and this means Hamas must be at the table. I believe this is that moment for a proper peace to be brokered and both sides will have to give in to the needs of the moment.