Peace talk — in Bibi’s case, that’s all it is
NEWS THAT the European Union is planning to issue its guidelines for labelling products made in the settlements — perhaps as early as next month — was met with a combination of derision and disbelief by rightwing Israeli politicians.
The general response was: “Hasn’t Europe got enough problems to deal with now, what with the refugee crisis and all that?”
The fact that the EU’s foreign ministries still have the time to deal with the minutiae of the Palestinian conflict while Syria is tearing itself apart and exporting its civil war to Europe through Turkey, is a never-ending source of outrage for Likudniks.
But there does not seem to be an alternative any longer. Ambitious diplomats like EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini still see this as the holy grail of peace-making and, if there is no diplomatic process taking place, they will eventually find a way to intervene.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu realises this. That is why, despite his belief that the time for any concessions on the Palestinian front is not now — the entire region is currently undergoing seismic change — he knows he needs some kind of initiative. He needs to make foreign diplomats happy.
Cue Mr Netanyahu’s remarks in recent days, especially during his visit last week to London, that he is open to talking peace with the Palestinians, and that he is willing to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “immediately”. The prime minister does not have anything new to offer the Palestinians, and Mr Abbas has not shown any signs that he is willing to re
engage in diplomacy, but Mr Netanyahu is an experienced salesman and he knows that he has to offer something new.
So this time around, he is talking about a peace agreement that would be guaranteed by the Arab states — in other words, Egypt and Jordan, with whose leaders he has now a close personal relationship, based largely on security cooperation. He may even be able to throw in an endorsement from Israel’s new ally on the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia.
Sounds great. The only problem is that the Palestinians are no closer to agreeing to the kind of truncated, demilitarised state that Mr Netanyahu is prepared to discuss. Mr Netanyahu’s current right-wing coalition reduces his bargaining options even further.
Meanwhile, the Saudis have their own plan on the table, the Arab Peace Initiative, which promises full diplomatic ties between Israel and all the Arab states in return for complete Israeli withdrawal from all areas captured in the Six-Day War, including east Jerusalem. The Saudis have not indicated that they are prepared to change their plan. Mr Netanyahu needs a process for appearances, and his Arab guarantee plan is the best he can come up with right now.