Thursday 1 August 2013

Pressure On Israel In Peace Talks

I have lost count of the amount of peace talks that have taken place between the Israeli's and Palestinians and we are at the start of another one but before they have even taken their seats the Israelis announce a further 4000 houses are to be built on occupied Palestinian territory.
To some this may seem another Israeli ploy to scupper another round of talks, forcing the Palestinians to walk away and leave Israel to shrug and explain that they turned up willing to talk but the Palestinians never. 
Israel are in no rush to set up a Palestinian state, they are more than happy with the status quo which seems them slice off parts of the Palestinian land.
What has happened recently though is that Israel has become more and more isolated Internationally with the recent EU decision which forbid any financial support of Israeli institutions and individuals in the occupied territories. 
More and more people with a public profile are boycotting Israel, Stephen Hawking just the latest on a growing list, and the Palestinians won a huge vote at the UN General Assembly last year, recognising the Palestinians as a non-member observer state.
Hopefully it has dawned upon the Israeli's that if these talks fall through, Israel's diplomatic and economic isolation will only get worse.
Israel has not got many friends around the World but all the time America props it up with aid, it won't be forced to 'play nice' with the neighbours so America has a pivotal role to play especially as Israel is looking to torpedo any talks of peace before they even start.
In previous talks Israel have not offered a workable peace deal and they will have to make painful concessions this time but events at the UN and on the International stage over the past twelve months has weakened Israel's position and even they must look around at the rapidly dwindling amount of support they have Internationally and realise that the status quo is no longer acceptable. 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would gladly give back the role of leader in the Middle East and Far East abjucated by the English and French after WW2.

Q

Lucy said...

I'm sure one side would take it but they wouldn't want us back again. The other side wouldn't like it though.