Do you scare easily?

Secretary of State John Kerry is once again gearing up for yet another visit to the region; it will be his 11^th this time.

One may take issue with his methods for bringing about peace between Israelis, Palestinians and whoever else might fall within the compass of his mission but his persistence in the matter must be considered quite commendable and his dedication to the task unwavering.

Indeed, the Secretary’s constant battle with the many thorny issues present in the situation bears some resemblance to that of the conflict itself. Both campaigns seem to have settled into familiar routines, each of them sustained by the intractable nature of the contest and the dearth of viable options open towards a settlement of any description.

Could this constant failure to make significant progress be due to some lack of commitment in one or all the parties involved? Let’s be charitable and assume that this is not the case. Why then has so little headway been made in the many efforts to close down what has certainly been the longest-running and costliest dispute in modern history?

One possibility to consider might be that of trying too hard, seeking a solution in too eager a fashion and thereby overlooking developments more naturally suited to the myriad tensions and challenges that have long been associated with the past and current course of events.

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Here each side is at last able to finish with this deadly status quo while still maintaining an opposed relationship in keeping with whatever previous declarations of intents and purposes are theirs. The force of argument can then more easily prevail over the force of arms, the latter having suddenly switched allegiances and become very much a negative influence on every aspiration held by those most affected by the issues..

Sometimes it all comes down to scaring ‘it’ more that ‘it’ scares you.