John Kerry’s shuttle diplomacy

THE peace process between Israel and Palestine had begun last year under the Obama administration. But it has run into an obstacle. Israel has cancelled the release of the last batch of 26 Palestinian prisoners. The Palestine Authority had asked for it and had agreed to apply for membership to 15 UN treaties and conventions if its request was granted. The recent Israeli decision not to go ahead with the release of Palestinian prisoners means a lull in the peace process. US secretary of state John Kerry wants to take a new look at the question. Israel and Palestine agree to disagree in a cyclical order which has frustrated US efforts to bring about a settlement in the region for five decades.
In 2008, Obama had blamed the Bush government for neglecting the peace process. But his secretary of state Hillary Clinton at that time made no effort to do what previous administrations could not. In his second term, Obama renewed his efforts. Of course, there have been diverting developments in the Asia-Pacific and now Ukraine has cropped up. But Obama is hanging on. The Arab Spring has had its sequel in the whole of West Asia. Egypt, Libya, Syria and a nuclear Iran throw the Israel-Palestine conflict in the background. There has, however, been comparative peace between Israel and Palestine. Nevertheless, it is time for Kerry to reconsider his approach.  True, talks between the two parties have not been called off and Kerry is likely to persist for a while. But is the US paying a heavy price for the waste of time on the thorny issue?