While US-sponsored peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian authorities are expected to continue over the next while, strong doubts remain over the possibility of a lasting deal. Just a few days before talks were due to start in Jerusalem, the planned expansion of Israeli settlements – not to mention the possible continuation of Israel’s barrier wall in the West Bank – has threatened the discussions.
Palestinians believe the 1,200 new settlement units approved for construction in the West Bank shows that Israel is neither serious with the first peace negotiation in three years, nor committed to recognising an independent Palestinian state.
But none of this is new. There have never been any peace discussions between these two sides that were not fraught with difficulties.
One difference this time, however, is Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas returning to the table without a freeze in settlement, contrary to his earlier proclamations. This shows his commitment to a lasting peace, one that isn’t ostensibly shared by Israel – which needs to be reminded that settlement construction contravenes the Fourth Geneva Convention, as argued by the UN and EU.
Meanwhile, we urge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make a real commitment to achieving a lasting peace during these talks. That goes hand-in-hand with suspending settlement plans pending the outcome of negotiations.
Both parties need to remember, as US Secretary of State John Kerry said ahead of the discussions, that “a viable two-state solution is the only way this conflict can end, and there is not much time to achieve it, and there is no other alternative.”
