U.S. Policy is Behind ME Peace Failure

The policies of this US Government doomed the current round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks to failure before they even began. Obama set this up (perhaps intentionally, the thinking goes, because the failure of the talks will get layed at Israel's feet, thereby increasing the pressure on Israel to make concessions they are not comfortable with) so that the Palestinians are rewarded for obstinence because they know the U.S. has no choice but to step in and pressure Israel to make further concessions. This is a no-lose proposition for the Palestinians. They win if the talks succeed. They win if the talks fail. Anyone with business experience knows that these are not the conditions that will lead to a negotiated settlement. But, unfortunately, this is the dynamic that has been created by this Administration's policies and its approach to the conflict.

The only way a peace deal gets made is by the Palestinians realizing they must stand on their own feet and make a deal for the good of their own people. Put a stake in this conflict and kill it. That won't happen with Obama in the WH because Obama can not figure this out. He puts the U.S. in the position of standing in between these two parties as arbiter of the dispute, rather than as facilitator of a discussion between the parties. There is a big difference in these two models. In one case, you sit in judgment and settle arguments. In the other, you help the parties settle their own arguments.

The current situation is fraught with danger for Israel. The Palestinians have made settlements the keystone to their negotiating stance, knowing full well that there is no deal envisioned that does not include significant territory on which settlements currently sit staying with Israel. This is foolish posturing and not a good sign for their underlying intentions. One has to ask if they really do want a peace deal if this is their approach.

But the Obama Administration has made all this possible by giving the Palestinians a "get out of jail free" card by making the U.S. responsible for "bringing Israel to the table" and keeping them there. Any time the Palestinians want to stop negotiating, they will turn to the U.S. and say "see, we told you the Israelis don't want a deal . . . prove they do by making them give in on this point . . ."

The Palestinians must be responsible for outcome. U.S. policy has made it possible for the Palestinians to skirt their responsibility. No lasting deal will come to fruition under Obama, unless he changes this dynamic.

Woldy