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The Israeli-Palestinian Arena: A Regional Approach Has the Most Potential

(Fathom-BICOM) Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Michael Herzog - The last effort at a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace solution - the Kerry-led negotiations in 2013-2014 - collapsed. The U.S. proposal of parameters in March 2014 to this day awaits a Palestinian response. Israelis rightly push back when Palestinians reject a peace proposal only to subsequently demand that it serve as the baseline for the next round. I have seen this time and again. I don't see the value in forcing the parties to go back to the negotiating table at this moment. The two sides remain far apart regarding their red lines on core issues such as Jerusalem and refugees, so even if they were to return to negotiations the talks would likely fail. Israel and some of the major Arab states have been drawn closer together by strong converging interests, namely the threats of extreme violent Islamist jihadism, an empowered Iranian-led axis, regional instability as a whole, and the weakening U.S. role. In this context, some of the major Arab stakeholders are willing to play a role in providing both space and cover to Israelis and Palestinians in advancing the two-state solution. Out of all the existing initiatives currently on the table, the regional approach has the most potential. The parties should be willing to invest in it and the U.S. and Europe should support it. The writer, a participant in nearly all Israeli-Palestinian negotiations since 1993, is a former chief of staff to Israel's minister of defense.
2016-10-26 00:00:00
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