Maybe it’s a good thing that no one expects anything from the Israeli-Palestinian proximity talks. When has optimism ever worked out there? Could it be that the breakthrough comes at a totally unsuspected time?
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BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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Now you ruined it. Stop looking will ya?
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/mearsheimer300410p.html
My only question is, why is this regrettable?
It’s regrettable because the civil war that will follow when the majority is shut out of power will draw in the US and many other nations. South Africa did not just evolve into a democratic state and the transition was easier because the oppressed side had overwhelming numerical advantage. Apartheid Israel will pit relatively equal populations against each other and force the rest of the world to choose up sides in a civil war that allows for no acceptable outcome.
The Oslo Agreement occurred like that. But given the fact that Yitzak Rabin was assassinated because of the agreement and that Netayahu is the current head of state, and the Israeli Defense Minister has already thrown cold water on the talks, optimism is not warranted. I don’t think this is that time unless Mitchell’s Irish luck holds.
“Could it be that the breakthrough comes at a totally unsuspected time?”
No.
nalbar
.
I needed a bit more space than a comment, see my diary:
A Win Win Position for President Mahmoud Abbas.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
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TEL AVIV (JPost) – US Middle East envoy George Mitchell launched Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations Wednesday after a break of more than a year, amid much skepticism from both sides.
Meeting at U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv Photo by: N Matty Stern
Mitchell met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to start the indirect negotiations. He will travel between Netanyahu’s office in Jerusalem and the headquarters of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
Eli Wiesel invited for lunch at the White House
Axelrod: J’lem last item on agenda
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."