The Peace Process

Abstract

The last serious political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians occurred between 2003 and 2008. The Road Map initiative of 2003 died because Sharon sabotaged it and the Bush administration abandoned it. Sharon’s intransigence also killed the Geneva Accords, a comprehensive two-state peace settlement negotiated between leading Israeli and Palestinian dovish political leaders. Similarly, the Arab Peace Initiative was ignored by Israel. However, the 2008 secret negotiations between Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and PA president Mahmoud Abbas, apparently came close to success but died when Olmert was replaced by Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu had long history of opposing the creation of a Palestinian state. Although early in his presidency Obama had indicated support for a two-state settlement, he backed down when confronted with Netanyahu’s intransigence rather than risk a conflict not only with Israel but also with the US Congress and the Israeli lobby.