Baku, Azerbaijan, June 1
By Azer Ahmadbayli – Trend:
Lies and intrigues, which the whole atmosphere of the Middle East region is saturated with, creates deep skepticism that makes people mistrust even the obvious facts, tuning the brain towards various conspiracy theories.
Involuntarily you begin to ask yourself questions, paranoid at first sight, and to look for answers. Some 20 years ago everything seemed to be a lot easier.
Is it a coincidence that President Trump’s peace plan on resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be made public at the peak of the chaos and collapse taking place in the Arab world?
If your home is burning, you will most likely be involved in fighting fire and saving your household, having no time to deal with other issues. Syria, Iraq, Yemen, the Arab Maghreb – many Arab nations are torn by civil wars, protests, street rallies, terrorist acts and internal political strife.
The “Arab street,” whether in Sudan, Syria or anywhere else, where for several generations a stable ideological matrix of attitude to the Palestinian-Israeli issue has been cemented, and which could be the main barrier to the implementation of the US peace plan, needed to be dealt with.
Is it a coincidence that in those countries where the peace plan is planned to be supported – Egypt, Jordan, the Gulf countries – stability is maintained, despite the scorching flames of the Arab spring?
These states have no less painful points and internal problems, which, if only touched, will also turn into unrests and violence. But somehow, there is peace there.
And there’s this: is it a coincidence that the newly elected right-wing Benjamin Netanyahu – an ardent opponent of any concessions in the Palestinian-Israeli issue – failed to form a coalition that resulted in dissolving of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and announcement of new elections?
Netanyahu is well-known for his intransigent and aggressive stand towards the problem. If he doesn’t soften it, he would become a hurdle for the great Middle East deal – after all Palestinian Arabs should also be satisfied.
In connection with the new Knesset elections in September, another question arises: will President Trump postpone the presentation of his peace plan from June to the post-election time, waiting for the results?
I think, he will not.
Robust democracy, sustainability of Israel's State institutions and a multi-party system that represents the interests of various segments of society make it possible not to fear a multiplicity of opinions.
Discussions on the specific provisions of the peace plan, which will begin immediately after its promulgation, will become the ground on which the election campaign will be built, and the one who, in the opinion of the Israelis, will be the most convincing in his arguments on the issue of further coexistence with Palestinian Arabs, will win the elections and become the new Prime Minister.
The reduction of pressure from Netanyahu and his far-right supporters on Israeli society allows Washington to expect that Israel will accept the peace plan, making certain concessions.