Since the birth of the peace process, popular wisdom has held that an Israeli leader cannot be expected to expend much domestic political capital during talks, because political capital must be saved to "sell" any agreement at the end of talks. In principle, there is some logic in this argument. In practice, that logic is now hitting a brick wall. If recent events indicate the patterns of action to come, talks will be in danger of falling apart long before an agreement is in reach.
It is impossible for any thinking person to view yesterday's release of Palestinian prisoners - and the planned release of more prisoners - with anything but very mixed feelings.
Yesterday, Israel released the first of four tranches of Palestinian prisoners. The decision to release prisoners sparked some controversy both inside and outside Israel. In this context, it seems like an opportune moment to review Israel's own freely-undertaken commitments, some never implemented, regarding the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Since the start of the new Israeli-Palestinian peace effort backed by Secretary Kerry, it feels like every day has seen news about new settlement approvals, tenders, planning, benefits, etc. In truth, it hasn't been quite every day - but close to it. The settlement floodgates have been opened, and opened wide, especially in East Jerusalem. This timeline is intended not to provide comprehensive details of each new settlement-related development, but to track these developments across time and provide links to additional resources. Also, keep in mind that new developments can be viewed on the map through APN's "Facts on the Ground" Map App.
Anyone familiar with the history of Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking can be forgiven for viewing new Israeli-Palestinian negotiations with a certain degree of skepticism, in large part fueled by concern that settlements will, once again, be used to undermine the chances for achieving peace.
On a visit to London, APN's Lara Friedman was interviewed by Bicom, the Britain-Israel Communications and Research Center, about the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
click here to listen
This resource page will offer you background, analysis and commentary on the talks - anything you need to follow the new diplomatic initiative.
Click here.
This week, Alpher discusses Netanyahu's motives for agreeing to release terrorists from Israeli jails as an entry ticket to two-state solution negotiations in Washington, why Netanyahu agreed to release terrorist murderers rather than accept what appear to be alternative Palestinian preconditions: the 1967 lines or a settlement freeze, what the first substantial area of disagreement will be about, how significant is it that the European Union "balanced" its directives regarding settlements by declaring the Hezbollah military wing a terrorist organization, whether Washington is justified in refusing to view the army takeover as a coup that requires cutting off aid and Israel's election of two chief rabbis.
With Israeli-Palestinian peace diplomacy stuck for so many years, we who dedicate our lives to peace for Israel and her neighbors have been feeling a little like the East Coast cicadas that hibernate underground, and wait for more than a decade to see daylight.
Secretary of State John Kerry Announces the Resumption of Israeli-Palestinian Peace Negotiations.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are set to resume peace talks after years of a diplomatic lull.
