It's a Mideast miracle.

Following Israel's dramatic disen gagement last week from Gaza, a long-time, high-profile American supporter of Palestinian interests had a revelation.

The Israeli newspaper, Ha'aretz reported Thursday that Rev. Jesse Jackson called Israel's ambassador in Washington to applaud disengagement and to pass along those sentiments to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

More to the point, Jackson added, "the moral burden now substantially shifts to the Palestinians. Sharon made a bold and painful step toward a long-term solution. He deserves a partnership that is just as bold and committed."

This is remarkable. Rev. Jackson has long maintained associations with a variety of unsavory Arab leaders.

He and Yasser Arafat became close friends in 1979 and warmly embraced.

Jackson's foreign-policy freelancing was most evident in his 1983 flight to Damascus to negotiate the release of a downed U.S. Navy pilot. Yes, it was good that an American was freed, but giving a dictator like Hafez Assad an opportunity to laugh at the elected administration was not in America's best interests.

Perhaps even more than his oft-mentioned "Hymietown" slur, Jackson's pro-PLO stance inflamed the anger of Mayor Ed Koch and many of New York's Jewish community during the raucous 1988 presidential primary.

Particularly given that controversial history, Jackson's welcome statements this week can do a great deal of good.

Neither the Palestinian Authority nor more radical elements amongst that culture can say that only the pro-Sharon conservative Republican administration supports the disengagement policy.

One of their long-time comrades-in-arms has stepped forward and asked them to do the right thing.

The overture is most welcome.