Here’s a glimpse of what John Kerry’s foreign policy might have meant for Israel, as former Secretary of State James A. Baker, who was considered by John Kerry as a possible Middle East envoy, calls on Israel to release convicted mass murderer Marwan Barghouti. (Hat tip: Carl in Jerusalem.)

Baker served as secretary of state, and then chief of staff under George H.W. Bush, and had a pivotal role convening the Madrid Conference in 1991, a precursor to negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians during the last decade. Baker also served as a legal advisor to George W. Bush’s campaign during the recount of votes in Florida after the contested 2000 presidential election.

“There is now… . in an Israeli prison a man named Marwan Barghouti, who is one of the young guard of Palestinians,” Baker told King last night, speaking about the post—Yasser Arafat era. “And if the Palestinians are going to make this work against the really hard-line elements, the Islamists and some of the people of Hamas, they’re going to have to have a coalition of the young guard and the old guard.”

Baker continued, “[I]t would be really a very positive step in the right direction if Israel would release Marwan Barghouti so that he could participate in bringing about this transition.”