Snowblind in a hot climate

The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been in deep freeze for decades.

Or, if not quite completely turned to ice, it’s been hovering about that mark for most of the time.

Mr. Kerry’s latest efforts to get things up and running has ploughed into the ever present snow-bank of nationalist agendas, mutual suspicion and an unwillingness to move much beyond safety margins set up far back in times gone by.

Something that serves in the manner of a blowtorch is needed to heat up the situation, turning frozen negotiation patterns away from their constant risk-averse conformity and into one that includes taking a few real chances with a future yet to be determined.

Otherwise, the alternative is for everyone to accept that conditions will never get any better than they are now. Indeed, they can only worsen and, much like the present winter storm gripping large areas of the Middle East, will go on to claim further victims should no rapid abatement in their power be forthcoming.

Winter storms do not last forever. But, if one had managed to outlast whole generations of people, I imagine every possible avenue leading to its termination would have been explored and even the most unlikely solutions given the opportunity to do their stuff.

www.laxiankey.com

What? Do you think people really want to remain out in the cold for all of the time they have left? Because that is what will happen to them if they are content to leave things just the way they are.