Ariel Sharon, George W. Bush, and Yasser Arafat were stubborn leaders vis-à-vis matters of extreme importance to their nations. Their stance on crucial issues was as clear as the sun in a cloudless day. Weary and suspicious of each other, they insisted on changes in the attitude of their counterpart before Middle East talks could resume. Nowadays, talking for the sake of talking has become an objective in itself.
In a meeting of Arab foreign ministers, Arab countries endorsed another round of “indirect” talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. This call came amid a fragmented Palestinian society and an Israeli insincerity towards the so-called peace talks. Facts of life known to all parties involved. Why then, this empty call for talks at this exact time? Simple, to calm the fears of the Palestinian and the Israeli populations of an escalation of the conflict, whilst, a war with Iran is on the cards.
Arab governments are no strangers to procrastination. They have done so with issues pivotal to their respective populations, in matters of employment, development and allowing basic civil rights to their citizens.
Equally abysmal is Israel’s Hypocrisy. Two weeks ago Israel has taken a provocative action when it decided to enlist Palestinian worship sites under Israeli heritage sites. In addition, Israel is pushing a head with building illegal settlements and the demolition of so-called “illegal Palestinian homes”. Actions that can hardly be described as trust building measures.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the backing of the Arab governments are setting themselves for failure. Without a political credibility on the part of the PLO and a political sincerity on the part of the Israeli administration, the conflict will only be prolonged. feeding even further into the pessimism of a possible peaceful solution.
