Picture by Sebastian Scheiner AP/Press Association Images. All rights reserved.Despite recent French efforts since the outset of 2016 to revive Israel-Palestine peace negotiations, the situation could hardly be less promising. As US Secretary of State, John Kerry, reportedly told a closed ministerial meeting on 19 September, ‘Israel and the Palestinians are moving in the direction of a binational state rather than a Palestinian state alongside Israel and are also headed toward war. He added that if the international community is interested in putting a halt to these developments, “Either we mean it and we act on it, or we should shut up.”’
The political situation could hardly be bleaker. Israel has the most obdurate administration ever. Meanwhile, the international community is trying to halt a brutal civil war in Syria which has embroiled the great powers as well as regional actors, and also dealing with the war's less savoury participants.
The United States, its efforts at peace making currently spent, has been distracted by a presidential election. The European Union is floundering to find an effective response to the massive and continuing migration crisis, while also facing greater internal economic and political challenges than ever.
