Israeli Foreign Minister and prime minister-designate Tzipi Livni has expressed her commitment to pursue talks with the Palestinians despite the resignation of incumbent Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

In her first policy address since she was named by Israeli President Shimon Peres to form the next government, Livni also said that “Annapolis will continue”. But she added: “Let us not allow dates or political changes to stand in our way.”

It is good not to allow political changes in Israel, or anywhere in the world for that matter, to stand in the way of the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian side, but to refuse to put a timeframe on these talks is a prescription for procrastinated and endless dialogue with no end in sight.

Every deadline the two sides have committed themselves to for concluding a peace deal has been dashed by Israel till now. This game must end, and end soon!

US President George W. Bush put his reputation and his country’s prestige on the line when he pledged to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians before his term of office ends in a few months.

There is every reason to conclude that whatever stands in the way of Israel reaching a lasting peace deal with the Palestinians will remain the main stumbling block in the path of the peace process.

We all know by now the core issues that divide the two sides and unless there is a genuine change of heart on the part of Israel on these basic components of peace, no additional time would bring durable peace to the area.

The Palestinians have been more than cooperative and conciliatory to expedite the peace process and many capitals interested in promoting peace on the Palestinian front have thrown one lifeline after the other to save it from a sudden demise.

Livni must comprehend by now that the timeframe for reaching a peace accord with the Palestinians is also of the essence. The more the two parties waste their time on moribund negotiations the more the chances are for extremists on both side of the fence to block a final agreement.

This leads us to conclude that the new Israeli leader must make a daring effort to reach a peace treaty with the Palestinians before this year ends. Where there is a will there is a way to do just that and that’s what Livni must do as her first priority in office.