Peace elusive in Middle East in 2012

Efforts by the international community have come to a standstill and a two-state solution to the Israeli – Palestinian conflict seems more and more remote.

In fact, there isn’t much to say about the Middle East peace process over the past year. Deadlocks haven’t been cleared since 2008 due to Jewish settlement expansion.

While Palestinians want Israel to first halt construction of settlements in Palestine’s territory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to start negotiations without any prerequisite conditions.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the West Bank town of Bethlehem in June 2012. (Photo: Reuters)

The most hopeful note was a short visit to the region by Russian President Vladimir Putin in late June, the highest level Russian visit since 2005. During his meeting with Israeli and Palestinian officials, Russia, the most important member of the Middle East quartet sought the key to resolving the current impasse.

Moscow is ready to recognize an independent state of Palestine and called on both sides to resume negotiations as the only way to tackle the dispute. Putin supported the ‘responsible’ view of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and noted that ‘unilateral actions prior to reaching a final peaceful solution are not constructive’. 

Following Putin’s visit, it was widely hoped that the region would enter a peaceful period as Moscow conveyed a strong message for factions of both sides. But the opportunity was once again missed. The crucial problems were that trust hasn’t been established between the parties concerned, plus Tel Aviv’s determination to build apartment blocks in East Jerusalem, which Palestine insists on making its capital city.

The settlement expansion has not only interrupted negotiations, but has chilled relations between the US and Israel. The eight days of fighting in the Gaza Strip last November between the Hamas movement and Israel which claimed the lives of 158 Palestinians and six Israelis stamped out the hope.

Yet later that month, the Palestinian people were full of hope again when the UN General Assembly voted to grant Palestine non-member observer state status affirming Palestine’s role in the international community and empowering Palestinian leaders on the road to establishing an independent nation.

The situations of other countries in the region were not better than the relations between Israel and Palestine. Disorder sparked by the Arab Spring now threatens Syrian President Bashar Al-assad’s administration. Instability has increased through pressure from opposition parties and outside forces.

The opposition forces are using a Libya-like scenario in an attempt to invite intervention by the West. Syria’s position in the region and the world, its relations with the Muslim world, and growing intervention by the US and other western nations are pushing the country into an all-out civil war. According to the UN, about 3,000 Syrians a day cross the border to seek refuge. By the end of 2013, 700,000 people will leave Syria for neighboring countries.

In Iran, 2012 was a year when it had to struggle against domestic economic difficulties and increased pressure from the outside world. Negotiations on Tehran’s controversial nuclear program continued in a cul-de-sac. The failure is attributed to the fact that the negotiations have always been linked to the political, economic, and security interests of the parties involved instead of focusing on pure nuclear issues. Therefore, a solution to Iran’s nuclear quandary remains a challenge for the world this year.