Kerry’s Mideast ‘Failure’ Was a Success
Shmuel Rosner, NYT
MAY 9, 2014
JERUSALEM — John Kerry’s April 29 deadline came and went, and an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord was not reached. It’s doubtful whether the two sides are any closer today to an accord than they were nine months ago, when an arbitrary deadline was set for the end of April by which something was supposed to happen — and did not. Many consider this a failure. But it’s actually, in a way, a success.
Back in December, halfway into the negotiation, when it was already clear that the parties would have difficulties agreeing on much, Mr. Kerry, the architect of the talks, was still hopeful that “we can achieve that final-status agreement” between Israel and the Palestinians. Israelis and Palestinians were wondering whether they should admire Mr. Kerry for his doggedness, or consider him a fool.
No one in the region was terribly surprised when the deadline wasn’t met and the talks collapsed. In survey after survey, both Israelis and Palestinians conveyed mutual skepticism: They didn’t believe that an agreement could be reached, and were losing trust in the American mediator.
Late last month, a headline in this newspaper announced: “Arc of a failed deal.” Yet failure is in the eye of the beholder. And in this case only those who expected a deal — the Americans — failed.
(More here.)
MAY 9, 2014
JERUSALEM — John Kerry’s April 29 deadline came and went, and an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord was not reached. It’s doubtful whether the two sides are any closer today to an accord than they were nine months ago, when an arbitrary deadline was set for the end of April by which something was supposed to happen — and did not. Many consider this a failure. But it’s actually, in a way, a success.
Back in December, halfway into the negotiation, when it was already clear that the parties would have difficulties agreeing on much, Mr. Kerry, the architect of the talks, was still hopeful that “we can achieve that final-status agreement” between Israel and the Palestinians. Israelis and Palestinians were wondering whether they should admire Mr. Kerry for his doggedness, or consider him a fool.
No one in the region was terribly surprised when the deadline wasn’t met and the talks collapsed. In survey after survey, both Israelis and Palestinians conveyed mutual skepticism: They didn’t believe that an agreement could be reached, and were losing trust in the American mediator.
Late last month, a headline in this newspaper announced: “Arc of a failed deal.” Yet failure is in the eye of the beholder. And in this case only those who expected a deal — the Americans — failed.
(More here.)
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