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The Value of Mideast "Talks about Talks"
(Washington Post) Michael Singh - Preparatory negotiations of the sort Kerry has engaged in serve an important purpose. These arm's-length negotiations allow the two sides to engage with each other and with the U.S. to gauge their counterparts' authority and trustworthiness. It is better that lower-level officials prepare the ground and hand things over to their superiors once agreement is close. Failure at the negotiator level may represent a setback; a breakdown in talks at the leadership level can herald catastrophe. The ultimate question that preparatory talks are designed to answer is whether both sides are serious about reaching an agreement. Netanyahu has sought to answer that question forcefully, declaring the resumption of negotiations to be in Israel's "vital strategic interest." Abbas wears two hats, as head of both a movement and a would-be state. If peace talks are to succeed this time, he must take off the first hat, which he has often seemed to favor, and accept the burden of the second. Palestinians, too, must recognize that their vital interest lies in peace. The writer is managing director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.