president’s Middle East policy were high. The Pal- new The high. were the policy East Middle for president’s hopes region, the Throughout War. Cold the during mistrust and after alienation of speech, decades his of opening very the Obama at as stressed but, administration proceeding the of years relations eight the after only not world, Muslim the with US for beginning was new a 2009 as June seen 4 widely on Cairo in speech Obama’s gotiation table. ne- the to back parties year three the bring to the able were of rest the over sides three all on actors different by made efforts the of None the talks. peace continuing for precondition a as state Jewish a as Israel recognise to failed Palestinians the and freeze that had been in place since November 2009 when Israel failed to renew the 10-month settlement ended talks direct the month, same the of end the At solution. two-state a on agreeing by conflict the aim of reaching an official “final status settlement” to ultimate the with Washington in place took Obama and Abbas moud min Benja Minister Prime Israeli between negotiations T A T Consultant, Maren Qualmann Bertelsmann Stiftung, Gütersloh Senior Expert-EuropeandtheMiddleEast Christian-Peter Hanelt Charge in Obama TheIsraeli-Palestinian 2010:Conflict The MiddleEastSituation 2 1 2 On www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2010/hst1003.pdf. (Thenumberincludes Iraq.) Michael D erm of he Setting: pproach, His“Cairo-Vision” andtheSecond Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mah etme ad 4 etme 21, direct 2010, September 14 and September . B S Hamburg enjamin hear O and Glenn bama’s ntd tts rsdn Barack President States United N
etanyahu K essler N ew MiddleEast , “Obama Voices Hopes for Mideast Peace in Talk with Al-Arabiya TV,” gion, re- the in soldiers US 230,000 over of deployment the since However, stability. regional and security Israel’s security, energy goals: main three pursuing has US decades, for The region the in player important an been interest. strategic administration’s US the in was conflict Arab-Israeli the solving that confirm did Rice Condoleezza State of Secretary in in year office her last Process, the Annapolis until conflict Arab-Israeli the to priority high give not did administration Bush the While administration. vious by the pre- undertaken change a strategic reinforce to speech the used Obama though, regard, one In East. Middle the with relations new his for test mus for political reform in a generally repressive region. region. repressive generally a in reform political for need the as such issues, sweeping more indeed, withIranand, situation the difficult and Afghanistan, Iraq in US the for challenges pressing on progress making to key be to seemed Israelis and estinians Pal- between peace achieving in success because interests strategic US to paramount as seen was conflict Arab-Israeli The politics. internal and tation repu- global America’s to respect with particularly between Israel and its neighbours” its and Israel between as well as Palestinians, lasting and Israel a between peace seek[ing] aggressively and “actively by term his of beginning the at process peace li-Arab Israe- the tackle to decision unusual his sequence, con- a As democracy. and peace for broker honest and serious a of that into US the of image the form trans- to attempting again once while US, the and parties the between confidence and trust renewed for he advocated relations: East in US-Middle point turning a mark to meant Obama regards, many In engagement. intensified an and ed”approach “even-hand- a more for hoped especially, estinians, 2 the third goal has taken on new meaning, meaning, new on taken has goal third the Washington Post, 27 January 2009. 1 became a lit- a became
47 Med.2011 Keys 48 Med.2011 Keys Stance onPalestinians andIran”). preparing proximity talks. In the meeting between between meeting the In talks. proximity preparing into envoy effort special immeasurable put had after Mitchell George especially US, the towards hand outstretched an as seen widely was change o eteet ree n at Jerusalem. East in freeze settlement be would no there that stating by constituency own his to out reached thus he and support, coalition’s own his lost he when ended 1999 in term first that his aware keenly been have must he time, same the At state. a of Palestinian building the endorsed he University, Ilan Bar at a 2009 June In 14 on speech process. peace the on stance his in change a significant the seemed what with to changes perceived responded he 2009, June In administra- policy. US new tion’s the to adjust to while a him took it 2009, March 31 on minister prime as term W on the Washington-Jerusalem N side Israeli settlements. the the – on hurdle largest the view, his in was, what cited addi- Obama In speech Cairo his interests. in tion, own its voice (some- to also having but how) region, the in power overarching regulatory an and security the Israel’s of foremost and guarantor first the being in only not left of position therefore was administration US The and mistrustduringtheCold War world afterdecadesofalienation for USrelationswiththeMuslim widely seenasanew beginning Obama’s speech inCairowas international the Iran. with before conflict and Iraq and ghanistan Af- in missions military US the only behind ranking tension, of cause second-largest the conflict raeli Arab-Is- the calling by this on up followed Obama 5 4 3 and theWyeRiver Memorandum.Hewasalsocriticised bythemoreleft-leaningIsraeliparties forhis“ThreeNo’s” policy. regional context” havingadirectimpactonAmerica’s statusintheregion.JournalofPalestineStudies155,Spring2010. Remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as reported in the in reported as Clinton Hillary State of Secretary by Remarks Protocol Hebron so-called the parties, right-leaning the of protests the despite signed, had Netanyahu minister, prime as term first his During See also the comment by US Central Command Chief General David Petraeus that Israel must see its conflict with the Palestinians “in a larger, ego hen Benjamin Netanyahu started his second second his started Netanyahu Benjamin hen tiations B etw 3 een Israelis and Palestinians A xis 4 This This , 24 April 2009, by Glenn Washingtonby 2009, PostApril 24 , in improving infrastructure and economic develop- economic and infrastructure improving in Fayyad Salam supported war, the after Gaza build re- to funds raising the el-Sheikh Sharm in while helped US deliver, to US the for waited and publicly silent remained Abbas 2009, Throughout construc- tion. settlement ceased before had side begin Israeli should the insisted negotiations direct Obama no Abbas, that with Agreeing around. formulation this turned administration Obama the negotiations, direct for precondition a as estinians Pal- the from attacks terror all to halt a demanding the set by side Israeli the with sync in administration negotiations of tone Bush Arab the the and While Abbas League. both of trust the regain to administration US can the of instrument an as settlements seen be the freeze to Israel on pressure substantial the perspective, Palestinian the From that underway. already were buildings and apartments of completion the permitted and synagogues and schools November structure, infra- Jerusalem, 26 East excluded on freeze The 2009. freeze a large imposed settlement from Netanyahu 10-month coalition, resistance his with of faced swathes and fall during efforts the diplomatic strong of heels the On later. weeks few a only did, it as coming, speech, Cairo Obama’s to response a as seen was and US the from demands strong and government his between compromise a resented rep- speech Ilan Bar Netanyahu’s his Thus, in coalition. parties pro-settlement the with and arguments settlers the from decision resistance a by met was outposts, that illegal dismantle to he began however, time, same a the At with freeze. disagreed settlement repeatedly and visit his on set Knes- the After briefed he Israel, to settlements. returned Netanyahu major retain to Israel allow to agreed Bush George President then which in on Shar- Ariel Minister Prime former to letter 2004 a by abide not would administration current the that and halted, be to were settlements the in activities clear that support for the Israeli position on Iran Iran process, on peace the to position linked was Israeli the for support that clear very made administration Obama the speech, to the prior 2009 May 18 on Netanyahu and Obama K essler ( “Clinton Counters Israeli Counters “Clinton 5 that all building building all that instance of “disagreement between friends” but a but friends” between “disagreement an of simply instance not was crisis diplomatic the that alise re- and approach US new the assess to chance a been have also could It Palestinians. the agree- with ment final any for required be would that mises compro- serious the alone let talks, proximity start make, to to simply coalition, his willing of nature delicate the given actually was Netanyahu conces- sions of number the and readiness re- to Israeli chance visit a as served have could crisis This that.” understand ton Washing- in friends our Normally, Jerusalem. vide di- to willing government Israeli an future seeable fore- the in be not will There Jerusalem. of borders municipal the within com- build to special needed are no missions so territory, Israeli sovereign is Jerusalem law, Israeli to as “according that clear it was government, Edelstein, Yuli Israeli Minister Affairs the Public by Tovoiced itself. order the had not and announcement the of timing he the was issue turmoil the perspective, Israeli the from diplomatic However, minister caused. the interior for the apologised and cabinet Netanyahu, Israeli The criticised president. the and Biden to insult an as States United announcement, the in this seen was which against strongly out spoke administration US the and Biden Shlomo Jerusalem). (East Ramat in houses new 1,600 the of announced approval (Shas) Yishai Eliyahu Minister or Interi- Israeli talks, direct the announce to wanted who Biden, Joseph President Vice by Israel to visit a During 1975. since countries the between crisis Washington worst the as to moment the to refer to Oren Israel, Michael Ambassador and Israeli US the prompting between provoked tensions involved growing strain Mitchell. political with the talks However, proximity to agreed both US, parties the from pressure under 2010, early In on. agreed had been outlines border no if not thereafter they continued be that condition the under months four period of a Arab for talks the proximity 2010, the endorsed March League 3 On approach. Obama’s peace of support in the lobby to to neighbours Mitchell Arab sent and Bank West the in ment 8 7 6 Avigdor Lieberman saidinaninterviewwithDerSpiegel on21March2010, “We neverpromised tostopbuildinginJerusalem.” according toIsraeli sources,Netanyahuhaddrawnupa packageofconfidence-buildingmeasures, etc.Atthesametime,Israeli Foreign Minister Off the record, newspapers reported that Netanyahu apologised. Meanwhile, American Jewish organisations lobbied for reconciliation, and, reconciliation, for lobbied organisations Jewish American Meanwhile, apologised. Netanyahu that reported newspapers record, the Off www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/06/AR2010040602663.html Press statement by Public Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein, 10 March 2010, cited in 6 focus on bridging the gap, while the Israeli side side Israeli entrenched. the remained while gap, the and bridging on actions focus its down tone to instead endeavour to began administration US the and passed, ment tember). Sep- (26 freeze settlement the on moratorium the of end the to down counting clock Israeli the and on progress September) 9 (by months serious four within issues border demanding clock League Arab- the ticking: were clocks Two 2008. tember Sep- in minister prime Israeli as resigned had mert Ol- Ehud since talks peace first the were and May meeting, upcoming 9 on started talks its The 2010. May 1 on did it which at talks proximity dorse re-en- would League Arab the that announced had East in including Jerusalem. settlements, all freeze to Israel admonishing and community” international recognised the not by is Jerusalem East of the “annexation March, 19 the that out On pointing statement a released Strip. Quartet Gaza the in situation humanitarian mounting the with deal to and 2011) September by (i.e. years two within state estinian Pal- a building of Plan Fayyad the support to its best did and marathon diplomatic Mitchell’s during sidelines the on stood Quartet European Mideast the Union, the as such actors, international other the Like Quartet. Mideast the process, of the reaction the in was point this at unusual Particularly By T w sds together. sides the two bringing to approach follow step-by-step to Mitchell’s Iran to relation in important East too Middle conflict the deemed advisers security tional na- former six the Again, Jones. headed James General by committee a under Berger Samuel viser Ad- Security National former of suggestion the on plan peace US a proposing Indeed, consider did preconditions. Obama narrow the of reconsider pitfalls to the moment a as served have could it side, Palestinian the On struggle. power genuine he late April, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Clinton Hillary State of Secretary US April, late B www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/world/middleeast/11biden.html ilateral Steps 7 oee, hs eiie mo- decisive this However, 8 .
49 Med.2011 Keys 50 Med.2011 Keys form, while Netanyahu refused to enter direct talks talks direct enter to refused written Netanyahu in while form, negotiations for basis the as di- talks for rect blueprint his over handed Abbas with Obama, meeting July a In Strip. Gaza the into goods Israeli of entrance the the on restrictions ease to pressured government and further step one there, went again government Quartet The agenda. Hamas the onto way its made ruling the of cause be- talks peace the from excluded been previously Mavi had which the Gaza, in situation the of incident, Marmara consequence a as break not However, did down. talks proximity the that sure make to second, and, crisis of time this in even measure confidence-building a as Abbas with contact seek and ban blanket Gaza the alter incident, the gate investi- to Israel administration pressure to first, US again, once tried the situation, this with Faced uproar for weeks to come and caused an international left 60 people severely wounded cost the lives of 9 Turkish activists, Marmara off the coast of Gaza naval forces and the Mavi The clash between the Israeli tone. the set to attempted side Palestinian the first, borders, and settlements as such issues, core tackling and negotiations for basis the as offer Olmert the Using 2008. in Olmert with talks in agreed had Palestinians the as Israel, Westoccupied to the Bank from land more grant to The talks opened with an offer from President Abbas 10 9 to come. weeks sol- for uproar international an caused and diers) Israeli 7 and activists (53 wounded severely people 60 left activists, Turkish 9 of lives the cost Mavi Marmara off the coast of the Gaza on 31 and May 2010 forces naval Israeli the between clash the when etc., Bank, West the in situation the in ments improve- demanding Palestinians the citement”and “in- in engaging stop Palestinians the that de- manding Israel with way, difficult their in along coming slowly were talks proximity The issues. water with starting of idea Netanyahu’s rejecting point, starting Seeofficiallyunconfirmed reportonYNet,aswellin theWashington Post: www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25506.htm. www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/on-eve-of-obama-netanyahu-meeting-abbas-offers-jerusalem-compromise-1.299850. 9 Mitchell agreed to this to agreed Mitchell salem on the eve of Netanyahu’s meeting with with meeting Netanyahu’s July. 4 on Obama of eve the on salem Jeru- on compromise a and swap land a with ders bor- 1967 the within State Palestinian a on ment walk out of the negotiations if the Israeli side did did side Israeli the if negotiations the of to out walk threat Palestinian the sword, Damocles a Like years. two within agreement peace a reaching of goal ambitious the achieve to el order in weeks two Sharm in every meet to again continuing meet September, 14 on Sheik to agreed They is- sues. status final the about negotiations start to der or- in necessary were compromises which in eas ar- the out map to agree did They state. as Jewish Israel a of recognition the as well as issues, secu- of rity and importance the settlements Israelis, the for the borders; of the importance Palestinians, the paramount for issues: main their reiter- ated both parties, and two the between the talks During negotiations direct talking. stop to direct reason be not should during emerged ten of- had negotiations their that stop to trying other extremists each reminded and incident condemned cruel the leaders Both lives. four their which lost in Israelis Hebron to close killing a by owed Washington. in September 2 for set was date the and talks di- rect enter to agreed Abbas August, In them. enter to when decide to Palestinians the to it leaving but talks direct endorsing Obama to response official an sent General Secretary League’s Arab 29 the July, on meeting League, their Following Arab Jordan. the and to Egypt turned Mitchell Mu- and Hosni barak, President Egyptian with Netanyahu urgently met television, Israeli and tanks think and media US through out reached to interview first his gave Obama talks. direct into the side bring Palestinian to up stepped were efforts Netanyahu, and Obama between meeting the following weeks the During talks. direct immediate to agree did but agreements, written prior with talks to direct entering opposition its in firm remained side Israeli The Th B newspaper newspaper the to According agreement. an of outline an with reakdown andStandstill e beginning of the direct talks was overshad- was talks direct the of beginning e Al Hayat Al 10 , Abbas proposed an agree- an proposed Abbas , Strip. At the time of writing, Tony Blair is negotiat- is Blair Tony writing, of time the At Strip. Gaza the in Palestinians the to possible, as much as and, Bank West the in Palestinians the to port sup- and aid providing of that as role two their defined They the negotiations. peace bringing direct in of together sides approach with his agreed with thus agreed and Quartet East Middle new the the of vision and Obama’s the EU remained The had Quartet same. the and the EU between the labour” US, of clear “division is former it the 2010, that in community international the of role the at Looking time? this wrong went What Papers” “Palestine 2010. in failed Obama completely thus the of administration negotiations peace resumed The December. 2 on it declined and offer the sidered con- cabinet security it Israeli The renew to afterward. asked again be not would it – freeze ment settle- three-month another to agree would Israel if resolu- already) does generally anti-Israel it (which UN the in veto tions would it that the and assurance aid military of of- It package billion process. $3 a peace fered the to security Israel’s support its for linking – approach former its of ation continu- a as seen was made that Israelis the to offer an administration US the 2010, November 2 on elections congressional the following vember, No- In down. step to Rabbo Abed for called ately immedi- movement Fatah The Jerusalem. includ- East ing borders, were 1967 the Palestinians within the state a as granted long PLO as the so, that do affirming would statement press a sued T n t d wt te su o bres n settle- and borders of ments. issue the with do to ing noth- had claimed Palestinians the Jewish which people,” the for “State a as Israel recognised Palestinian side the of- if side moratorium the Israeli extend to The fered 2010, October 11 On ber. Septem- 26 on ended moratorium the when down break to them caused ultimately and negotiations the over loomed freeze settlement the prolong not 12 11 gov/secretary/rm/2010/12/152664.htm). Israeli nationality. Thisissueisbeing debatedwithinIsraelisocietyand alsoplaysaroleinthenegotiations. it, is a different issue. The difficulty lies in the character of the State of Israel and the question of the Palestinians (Arab-Israelis) living in Israel with he he See Hillary Clinton’s speech “Remarks at the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy Seventh Annual Forum”PolicyAnnual East Seventh Middle for (www.state.Center Saban Institution’s Brookings the at “Remarks speech Clinton’s Hillary See The PLO recognised Israel’s right to exist in 1993. Recognition of Israel as a Jewish State, or a “State for the Jewish people,” as Olmert had put 2010 2010 11 On 13 October, Yasser Abed Rabbo is- Rabbo Abed Yasser October, 13 On N ego tiations and the So-called So-called the and tiations the Gaza Strip. Gaza the and Lebanon in proxies its and Iran from but Bank West the from comes longer no threat as actual ensure, the to harder even security now is for and acknowl- need grown has Israeli the Clinton that fact State the edged of Secretary De- in cember, negotiations direct the of After side. breakdown the Israeli the for difficult more even was point second The on. early Arab accepted the had and League he both that the and that imposed had parameter US a against constituency. measured own no was his him He with left it manoeuvre as to room negotiations, the in his tone set to own Abbas for coalition, difficult equally it pro-settlement made and his first of the in because negotiations place, enter to Netanyahu for difficult extremely it made point first actors The ap- involved. different the new and any conflict the finding to not proaches d) and be- peace difficult; things the came when soon on too up progress giving c) to process; Iran and to security regard Israel’s with for support linking b) ess; proc- entire the of issue core making the a) of: settlements the The approach his process. on the focuses to criticism given has he weight po- high the litical reflecting effort, initial his as as strong criticism for in come have ambitions Obama’s reasonable. pos- and sible be might Hamas with the negotiations and EU Quartet, the through when, re- and mounting how are garding questions and Strip, Gaza the with deal to how on Netanyahu President with ing were coming from: Abbas from a long history of of history actors long a both even from Abbas where from: issue, of coming were this indicative was resolve it not though did ad- US The 2008. ministration in ended had Abbas and ert Olm- between negotiations the where start to ed want- side Palestinian the framework, fixed a with negotiations the enter to want not did Israelis the While resolved. been yet not had talks indirect or pri- the in arose that issues is the it that talks, noting worth direct the of beginning the at security. Looking Israel’s as to threat criticised indirect an and therefore bribery was freeze settlement a for exchange in package aid military a Israelis the 12 The very last move of offering offering of move last very The
51 Med.2011 Keys 52 Med.2011 Keys clude far-reaching, although unsigned, in- compromis- unsigned, although they far-reaching, clude and before, ever than closer came sides both of the negotiations, the course over that, show had they themselves that papers The office. his from stolen claimed been he after resign, Saeb to negotiator Erekat chief forced notes these of tion publica- The 2008. mid-September and 2006 ber Decem- between Olmert and Abbas between ings meet- 36 the during taken negotiators Palestinian the from Al- notes were 2011, by mid-January in Jazeera published documents, so-called These the “Palileaks.” or Papers” “Palestine the in found be can negotiations 2010 the on angle Yet another compromises about thescopeof transparent withtheconstituency of whetherthenegotiatorswere because they raisedthequestion turmoil onthePalestinian side, The “Palestine Papers” caused limited was US the outset. very the of from into influence The sufficiently this account. take not did US The administration predecessor’s. his than agenda political different a with and coalition different very a from Netanyahu and puz- offer, still Olmert’s of Israelis rejection – zling many to – the and negotiation yahu in 2010. in yahu starting Netan- with the different negotiations he when entered point very a from coming was Abbas that sign a as seen be can it else, nothing of terms respective their of end the at were Barak Ehud ter Minis- Prime and Clinton Bill President both 2000/01, when in Summit Taba the or David Camp as such processes negotiation former of espe- light in cially through, agreement the pushing in helpful more be would administration Obama the that ing hop- was and side Israeli the on minister prime ing outgo- an with continue to want not did Abbas that assumed be thus can It ending. was term Olmert’s that clear was it timing, the at Looking moment. the did of and not Abbas seize why Olmert remains tion ques- the and enacted, or public agreement made never the was However, meetings. thirty over in did they as just directly, negotiate indeed can ians Palestin- and Israelis that prove they level, national for no peace” partner on At the side. other the inter- is “there that assumption ongoing the contradicted papers the sides, both On people. the and ership lead- the between communication the and society Palestinian of complexity the reflects turmoil This compromises. the of scope the about constituency the with transparent were negotiators the whether and people, of the mandate full the with negotiating was leadership the whether they of question because the raised side, Palestinian the on especially an for turmoil, blueprint caused papers these However, agreement. possible the as analysts prised sur- by interpreted were which parties, both by es