To walk on stormy seas

‘Kerry – Mideast peace hopes not quixotic’                                          Times of Israel: February 1, 2014

https://www.timesofisrael.com/kerry-mideast-peace-hopes-not-quixotic/#ixzz2s6cN0w51

With all the political maneuvering, diplomatic wheeling and dealing surrounding these latest Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, it would be way beyond optimistic to suggest that a coherent and fully endorsed plan of action could ever emerge from such a maze of divisions, obstacles, and pitfalls.

Since even the smallest success story here has yet to escape and find its way to the waiting media, these discussions may be suffering from a severe bout of agenda fatigue; so many topics to address, a myriad points of view to consider and most of them pulling in directions wildly at variance with each another.

A step-by-step approach might work out much better, the exclusive focusing on one major problem at a time. At present, trying to tie up a multitude of loose ends in nine short months could be overloading the mental staying power of all concerned. Even those closely associated with the process may be finding it hard to judge just how far matters have really progressed and which end result is likely to prevail.

Step 1:

Put a temporary but definitive brake on the conflict, a series of stoppages if need be.

This procedure will require input from a goodly number of decision-making elements, people co-opted from the world at large and then tasked with interpreting and evaluating certain incidents or crimes that may (or may not) have happened.

www.laxiankey.com

Step 2:

With a cessation of hostilities in being and a de facto peace thus established, the real thing is then made much more achievable. Especially so if, after being able to guarantee a respectable period of relative calm, reaching no agreement may bring with it the danger of yet another round of tension, violence and conflict.

Well, that was fairly straightforward, wasn’t it?

Now if only all the other ills that so trouble this world of ours could be just as easily remedied.