Israel should learn from U.S. how to pace diplomacy
Tripartite summit in N.Y. underscores discrepancies between mentalities of Jerusalem and Washington.
By Aluf Benn Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu Mahmoud Abbas Barack Obama Israel newsMost Israelis like the United States, but cannot connect to the American character.
Here we improvise and don't wait in line - there friends arrange to meet far in advance and read the instruction manual before operating electrical appliances.
So too in diplomacy. In Israel war is declared after a two-hour debate, and daring peace plans are concocted without deliberations or consultations. In America months are devoted to preparing every diplomatic or military move.
The tripartite summit meeting to be convened in New York Tuesday by U.S. President Barack Obama with his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts underscores the discrepancies between the mentalities of Jerusalem and Washington.
Israelis expected (some hopefully and others fearfully) that Obama would reveal a peace plan, and push Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas into working out the nitty-gritty.
When it became clear these expectations were overblown, they were replaced by dismissal, and so-called "officials in Jerusalem" belittled the three-party summit as an unnecessary event.
But Americans work at a different pace than Israelis. Obama didn't promise to present a quick solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. He promised he would be more involved than George W. Bush, and work toward reviving the peace process.
Making good
Obama has thus far made good on his promises: He appointed George Mitchell special envoy to the Mideast, and Tuesday will meet with leaders on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide for the first time since Netanyahu returned to power.
Neither Netanyahu nor Abbas will be overawed by what Obama says, but they also won't be able to refuse him.
The time that has passed before the summit was not wasted, but was used to improve conditions in the West Bank, remove checkpoints and bolster security coordination between the Israel Defense Forces, the Shin Bet security service and Palestinian security services.
Obama's diplomatic timetable is different from those of Netanyahu or Abbas.
The U.S. president's term is confined to four years, at the end of which he may be reelected.
He is not dependent on a coalition in which the majority of members oppose diplomatic steps, as is Netanyahu, or in legalistic tricks keeping him in power after his term has ended, as is Abbas.
That leaves Obama time to work determinedly, yet gradually.
This is also Mitchell's style: another meeting, another discussion, another preparation, all aimed primarily at building trust and bringing both sides closer to the bigger decisions to be made later.
The Americans absorbed the barbs traded between Israel and the Palestinians on missed opportunities and the failure of the peace process, and simply continued in their work.
That's why we must view the New York summit as a step which could lead to renewed negotiations, and not as a dramatic event that will determine once and for all whether peace will ever come.
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"Obama's diplomatic timetable is different from those of Netanyahu or Abbas." ... and not just "timetable". Israel's underlying goal is "Peace Never", Obama... well we'll just have to wait and see (no sense jumping ahead on the timeline after all).
A year ago the US had an administration which shared the attitude of the Netanyahu government. That attitude was 'We don't need no stinking diplomacy!"
America is Gone, learn to live without it.
Jack writes: "The audacity to ORDER a country to stop building with in their borders and negotiate part of it for someone`s future state." Really? The West Bank is within Israel's borders? If so, why aren't the Palestinians who live there Israeli citizens? The West Bank is NOT Israel, it is occupied territory, it is disputed territory. If Israel wants to annex it and grant all the inhabitants full citizenship, that is one way to solve the problem. But let's at least be accurate with our terminology.
The reason Obama is "going slow" is not about American vs. Israeli mentality. Rather, he began his Presidency by shouting that the settlements were THE obstacle to peace, and that all building in settlements must stop. The Palestinians shouted "Amen!" and refused to sit down with Israel unless all settlement stopped even though they had always negotiated with Israel before, until Obama made his pronouncement. In other words, Obama made this situation what it is (i.e. the Palestinians won't negotiate) and now he is trying to get himself out of it.
maybe they have learned---but Israel has not. Say when did Israel learn to do brain transplants and to whom was your donated to.
another meeting, another discussion, another preparation until all current players are out of the game if he pushed palis abbas will go if he pushes israel bibi will go and liberman will replace him yes he has got all the time in the world but the other players are temp
obama is a waek president north korea and iran dont give a damn about what he says he has troubles at home and growing dissatisfaction amongst americans he doesnt have the strength it needs to attack n korea and iran one day iranian missiles with a bombs will be aimed at usa and europe and obama will be remembered as the one that made it happen thr writer whose articles did ot happen is trying to revive an ailing president does he get his income from state department?
america's position in the vietnam war is more akin to our position now.they were under severe pressure to talk with the north vietnamese. they went to the paris talks where they were given the run around by the nobel prize winner vietnamese negotiator.(lee duc thaw(?) did america pace itself then?
This analysis about a failed tripartite conference fails to point out that the Palestinians pulled out of the meeting and not Israel. "Tri" means "three". But here only two nations are discussed. Why not the Palestinians? Too often Haaretz analyzes our failing relationship with our Palestinian neighbors with an eye to looking into our own deeds or misdeeds, and all so often, as this article exemplifies, ignores that there is a Palestinian side which also is party to its deeds and misdeeds. Did not Abbas call off the meeting? Isn't that factor important?
I feel like Israel's looking externally for answers to issues it needs to look deep inside for the answers to. In my opinion, it should involve diplomacy first, but that's just my opinion. I'm not a big fan of conflict.
The Pals initiated and lost 6 wars. They cannot get now what was offered in 1948. 66% of the British Mandate is Jordan - the majority of its citizens are palestinian. That is their homeland. Israel cannot divide the remaining 33% into two states - one of which wants to eleminate the Jews. Keep building the West bank - another 60 years - all this nonsense will be forgotten. Palestinians can rule themselves with limited government in the West Bank. If they don't like it they can move to Jordan, their homeland. Remember, 600,000 Jews who were forced out of Arab lands in 1947 cannot return also. Remember 1.2 million Arabs live inside Israel, own houses, with full rights. If 1 million Jews want to live in the West Bank... why not?? The West Bank cannot EVER be another country of the Arabs to make a terror state against Israel. You cannot forget 60 years of wars that they started. Wars have consequences. Especially if you LOSE
....from others. Remains one of the biggest weaknesses of the Israeli people (with the exception of the Israe- li left of course)..... ....and one of the main reasons why they are facing all those problems today that many of us don't.
The focus on Obama is missing the point, he has assembled a team of top talent around him. Rahm Emanuel is leading and co-ordinating the team which includes george Mitchell, Hilary Clinton, etc. These are tough, smart people with decades of experience and should not be either ignored or underestimated. Netanyahu thinks that he understands the US but hi real opponent is not Obama but Rahm Emanuel and I know who I think will come out on top. Look at current Us initiatives, yielding the missies in Eastern Europe has won plaudits from Russia, while Israel is trying to recover from supplying arms to Georgia!
There is only one issue regarding peace progress: Israel's relentless violations of international law to which Israel owes her very existence. Obama now needs to lay down that law, namely to enforce it on Israel: UN Charter, 4th Geneva Convention abolish land grab via war ?The evidence strongly suggests that Israel is determined to create facts on the ground amounting to de facto annexation. Annexation of this kind, known as conquest in international law, is prohibited by the Charter of the United Nations and the Fourth Geneva Convention,? he adds, calling for it to be condemned as unlawful annexation. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=8409&Cr=middle&Cr1=east See also "Defending the West" by James Gow, 2005, pg. 50 in Google books. Google "territorial expansion" with "United Nations".
If Israel were as large as the US, and as far from any immediate threat, it too could take its time in diplomacy and war. When the knife is at your throat, and you are outnumbered 100:1, there is rarely time for the niceties of perfecting the best response. And when you look at the mess the current administration is making of everything it is doing, perhaps taking lessons from the US is not the right way to go.
Indeed, the American methodology is better than the impulsive Israeli Palestinian slap dash emotional goulash. either the conflict can begin to be resolved, or worsen and continue for generations. Extremist hard core members on both sides expound positions that are incompatible with peace, and need to be pushed aside. Jerusalem can and must be divided according to population, the settlements must be contained and not expand, violence must be reduced, roadblocks removed, more cooperation shown, and a genuine interest in coexistence of two states without further dilly dallying. thank you mr. Benn. The middle way is the wise way and is not full of bluster and impuslivity, but careful planning and follow thru. Now is the time.
Obama is for Obama Period. Oil is thicker than blood. There are a Billion moslems. BiBi should stand tall the salami tactic is just the beginning. The audacity to ORDER a country to stop building with in their borders and negotiate part of it for someone's future state. Wake up BiBi be a statesman..not a politician JG
Unfortunately, there is precious little that Israel can really learn from Barak Obama. His amazing arrogance leads him to pursue domestic and international initiatives that defy logic and the will of his constituents, coddling terrorists and now severely undermining the natural recovery of the US economy. The "summit" between two parties who at this point have little to say to eachother is a cynically arrogant photo-op - the kind Obama's predecesor had no patience for. Netanyahu would be wise to wait for this one-term president to start doing Palestinian public relations alongside Jimmy Carter and hope for more sensible and balanced leadership in the White House.
This has been the Israeli strategy forever...its getting old even for the most ardent supporters its either one state or two real states, Just say it!!
This article is wishful thinking by the writer. USA diplomacy is nothing but prepared. Look at the USA history and learn from it. One of the constants, however, is the selling of so-called friends and this time it is Israel turn to be sold for the "higher" USA interest.