Russian Mideast push could hurt U.S. influence, if talks occur
WASHINGTON — American influence over the Middle East could slip a notch after Israel and the Palestinians agreed in principle to Russian-organized talks in Moscow. That is, if the negotiations ever happen.
Russia has clamored unsuccessfully for years to host such a gathering, and the Russian Foreign Ministry’s announcement on Thursday included no date or agenda for the future get-together. Making the meeting even more uncertain: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ demands that Israel first halt all settlement construction in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, and release about two dozen Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the preconditions.
If the meeting occurs, it would surely rattle the region’s tumultuous ground further.
The United States has maintained a stranglehold over all Mideast peace processes since the Oslo Accords in the 1990s, seen by Israelis and Palestinians alike as the indispensable mediator and only power that could guarantee a two-state solution. But the Obama administration doesn’t appear to enjoy that recognition any longer.
The degradation of America’s standing coincides with its difficulty projecting its vision across the Middle East.
On Syria, Washington has pleaded with Russia for a ceasefire even as Moscow advances the position of the Russian-backed government over U.S.-supported rebels. In the war against the Islamic State, the U.S. has been unable to secure a quick victory and is challenged by fighting among allies such as Turkey and the Kurds. In Yemen, the U.S. has lost hope of ally Saudi Arabia pushing Iranian-backed Houthis out of the capital by force.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner on Thursday rejected the notion the U.S. is losing primacy in the region. But he appeared skeptical that it was the right time for such a meeting in Moscow.
“We need to make sure that any face-to-face talks have the right climate in which to succeed in,” Toner told reporters. He specifically cited Israel’s ongoing settlement activity and Palestinian glorification of violence as hindrances to a peace settlement.