Middle East Talks May Be Different this Time

The lead article in The New York Times this morning, “Leaders Pledge Effort to Reach a Mideast Peace,” offers some hope for a different outcome than all the failed initiatives in the past.

The reasons are many. For one, the killing of four Israeli West Bank settlers by Hamas on the eve of the joint meeting at the White House failed to scuttle the event. Israel did not allow the wanton act to interfere with actions between sane adults, and, even more importantly, the Palestinian Authority strongly denounced the action.

Second, the participants in the talks are different this time. Like him or not, President Obama certainly has the intelligence to provide the bridging proposals the talks will need to succeed. And the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, as an avowed hawk, is most likely to be able to persuade the Israeli public and members of his coalition regarding any sacrifices necessary to make a final deal.

The geopolitics are different as well. The Saudi Arabians actually pushed the Palestinians to enter into the negotiations, rather than playing an obstructionist role. And a successful conclusion to the talks is more in the national security interests of the United States than ever before.

The tableau on the front page of The Times showing the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and President Obama lined up in a row was certainly impressive. Let’s hope the talks are equally so.