Analysis
BICOM Research Paper: Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations – A Guide to the Issues, Players and Prospects
Category:
Almost two years after direct Israeli-Palestinian talks were suspended, arduous US mediation has helped re-launch face to face negotiations between the parties. The disparity between the impressive pronouncements at the Washington summit that launched the direct talks, and the scepticism of many commentators and pundits, complicates efforts to realistically assess the obstacles and opportunities
on the road to a conflict-ending agreement.
Unofficial efforts aside, this will be the third time the parties have engaged in high-level permanent status negotiations since the beginning of the Oslo process in 1993. While many of the actors and issues remain the same, the geopolitical landscape, the constraints and the mindset under which the parties are operating are in some ways radically different.
This paper gives an overview of the range of issues that will need to be considered in order to enhance the prospects for success. It is the first in a series of BICOM papers that are designed to provide insight and analysis into the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations for UK observers and policy-makers. This paper has been produced by BICOM in consultation with former senior officials and analysts involved in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.