It was a far cry from the usual trudging pace of the Middle East peace process. U.S. Secretary of State James Baker whirled through the region, soliciting conciliatory gestures at every stop and obtaining at least more favorable rhetoric. The leaders of Egypt and Israel met in Cairo in the first summit between these only nominally friendly states in six years. The intent was to signal to the world that with a new, left-leaning Israeli government in place, the climate is ripe for rapprochement. Baker seemed to think so. Said he: "There is a new opportunity to move forward."
In its...