Kerry has reason for optimism on Israeli-Palestinian talks
The US secretary of state's optimism over the Israeli-Palestinian talks is reasonable, considering their current goals: Right now, the sides are mapping out the points of disagreement, something they may well accomplish.
"Opsimism" is a term coined by the late Israeli Arab writer and winner of the Israel Prize for Arab Literature Emile Habibi (1922-1996). This term, which embodies a rare combination of optimism and pessimism, best describes the negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians in light of the contradictory statements voiced this week (Dec. 6-8), which succeeded in further confusing those who track the talks' progress or lack thereof.
After shuttling between Jerusalem and Ramallah one more time before heading back home, US Secretary of State John Kerry surprised everyone with his optimistic statement: "I believe that we are closer to a peace agreement than ever before."
But even before anyone succeeded in understanding the source of Kerry's great optimism, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman and Defense Minister Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon poured cold water on the idea and revealed another difference of opinion between Israel and the United States.
"We are at a dead end. … I don't believe that it will be possible in the next year to achieve a comprehensive solution, to achieve some breakthrough," Liberman said over the weekend in his speech at the forum of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy in Washington. Ya'alon continued in the same pessimistic vein at the Global Israel Business Conference and said, "As someone who was in favor of Oslo, I learn that we have no partner on the other side for the two-state solution."
