Middle East Policy has been one of the world’s most cited publications on the region since its inception in 1982, and our Breaking Analysis series makes high-quality, diverse analysis available to a broader audience.
Scott McConnell
The American Conservative
One is torn between the opposing impulses to mock John Kerry for his futile Mideast shuttling or to lament his failure, which when eventually acknowledged will confirm the passing of the two state solution as a realistic outcome for the Israel-Palestine crisis. Mockery comes easily enough: Kerry, after days of shuttling back and forth between Abbas and Netanyhu, helicopter trips to Jordan and 3 AM sessions with Netanyahu, was unable to find sufficient common ground between the parties to begin final status negotiations. Nonetheless he expresses perennial optimism. To which Steve Walt tweets "Kerry sees progress in efforts to revive ME peace talks. Also sees leprechaun, hobbit and a big pink unicorn."
In the State Department press room, Washington’s reluctance to do more than "express disappointment" with Israel’s blatant nose thumbing at its sole international ally and patron—the construction of new illegal Israeli settlements in Jerusalem were announced to greet Kerry’s arrival and his departure—is questioned derisively by reporters.
American mediation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become something of a joke. A mediator by definition has to be able to behave more or less even-handedly. But regardless of the actual sentiments of Obama, Kerry, or their various aides, it is understood that they could not express disapproval with Netanyahu or hint at reducing aid to Israel without producing a crisis in the President’s party and a debilitating open fight with the Israel lobby. Other politicians might take on that battle and win it, (Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush are two who came close), but it is an option Obama will never consider.
Middle East Policy has been one of the world’s most cited publications on the region since its inception in 1982, and our Breaking Analysis series makes high-quality, diverse analysis available to a broader audience.
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Scott McConnell
The American Conservative
One is torn between the opposing impulses to mock John Kerry for his futile Mideast shuttling or to lament his failure, which when eventually acknowledged will confirm the passing of the two state solution as a realistic outcome for the Israel-Palestine crisis. Mockery comes easily enough: Kerry, after days of shuttling back and forth between Abbas and Netanyhu, helicopter trips to Jordan and 3 AM sessions with Netanyahu, was unable to find sufficient common ground between the parties to begin final status negotiations. Nonetheless he expresses perennial optimism. To which Steve Walt tweets "Kerry sees progress in efforts to revive ME peace talks. Also sees leprechaun, hobbit and a big pink unicorn."
In the State Department press room, Washington’s reluctance to do more than "express disappointment" with Israel’s blatant nose thumbing at its sole international ally and patron—the construction of new illegal Israeli settlements in Jerusalem were announced to greet Kerry’s arrival and his departure—is questioned derisively by reporters.
American mediation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become something of a joke. A mediator by definition has to be able to behave more or less even-handedly. But regardless of the actual sentiments of Obama, Kerry, or their various aides, it is understood that they could not express disapproval with Netanyahu or hint at reducing aid to Israel without producing a crisis in the President’s party and a debilitating open fight with the Israel lobby. Other politicians might take on that battle and win it, (Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush are two who came close), but it is an option Obama will never consider.