Wall Street Journal (May 17)
“It’s déjà vu all over again in the Middle East as another round of Israeli-Palestinian combat follows a tragic and familiar path: another spasm of violence, another media firestorm over civilian casualties, another wave of demonstrations around the world, another diplomatic kerfuffle as would-be mediators jostle, and another donnybrook in American politics over how Washington should respond.”
Tags: Casualties, Combat, Déjà vu, Familiar, Firestorm, Israel, Media, Mediators, Middle East, Palestine, Spasm, Tragic, Violence
New York Times (December 20)
“The vision of two separate states, with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace” is proving elusive despite “years of arduous negotiations to solve the Middle East conflict.” As confidence wanes in the realizability of a two-state solution, it may be the time to consider alternatives.
Tags: Alternatives, Confidence, Conflict, Elusive, Israel, Middle East, Negotiations, Palestine, Peace, Two-state solution
New York Times (October 15)
“Monday’s vote suggests that Israel is increasingly seen as needing to do more to end the stalemate.” The British House of Commons “endorsed diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian state.” Though a symbolic gesture, “Israel and its allies should not ignore the message. The vote is one more sign of the frustration many people in Europe feel about the failure to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement despite years of promises.”
Tags: Allies, Europe, House of Commons, Israel, Palestine, Peace, Promises, Recognition, Stalemate, UK, Vote
The Economist (August 2)
Israel is “winning the battle, losing the war. For all its military might, Israel faces a grim future unless it can secure peace” and it is slipping in the international court of public opinion.
Washington Post (July 17)
“Israelis and Palestinians may someday make peace. But the assumption should be that it won’t happen soon — perhaps not in our lifetimes.”
Chicago Tribune (April 9)
The talks between Israel and Palestine “are on the verge of collapse.” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry should quit trying to prop them up. “The U.S can’t broker a peace deal absent strong motivation from both sides to surmount formidable, historic hurdles.”
Tags: Collapse, Historic, Hurdles, Israel, John Kerry, Motivation, Palestine, Peace deal, Talks, U.S.
New York Times (January 4, 2014)
“Five months into the latest American effort to nudge Israelis and Palestinians toward a peace agreement, the one party clearly committed to a deal is the United States.” Over 20 talks have been held, with the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry logging ten trips to the region. Despite these efforts to reach an agreement by the end of April, “there is no evidence of concrete progress, but there are increasing signs that both sides may be positioning themselves to blame the other if negotiations collapse.”
Tags: Agreement, Blame, Collapse, Evidence, Israel, John Kerry, Negotiations, Palestine, Positioning, Progress, U.S.
Washington Post (March 28)
During his trip to Israel, President Obama “spoke more bluntly about Israel’s occupation and the case for a Palestinian state than any U.S. president has in the past…. Obama has recognized and employed the strongest — and perhaps only — path toward peace and a Palestinian state: an appeal to Israel’s conscience.”
Tags: Conscience, Israel, Obama, Palestine, Peace
Washington Post (March 28)
During his trip to Israel, President Obama “spoke more bluntly about Israel’s occupation and the case for a Palestinian state than any U.S. president has in the past…. Obama has recognized and employed the strongest — and perhaps only — path toward peace and a Palestinian state: an appeal to Israel’s conscience.”
Tags: Conscience, Israel, Obama, Occupation, Palestine, Peace, U.S.
Financial Times (May 24)
Barack Obama’s visit to the UK has called attention to the long standing alliance between the two countries. While some say this relationship has been weakening, “the two countries’ interests are aligned on the most pressing questions.” These priorities include resolving conflict in Afghanistan, reaching a solution in Libya, and moving Israel and Palestine towards peace.
