George Mitchell negotiated a peace settlement in Northern Ireland. He just quit his job of special envoy to the Middle East in frustration and failure. Predictably, both the Israelis and the Palestinians praised Mitchell for his hard work and blamed the other side for the futility of it all. Appointing Mitchell was a good idea, but possibly premature. Obama probably should have kept him in reserve in case conditions became a little less unfavorable for a peace agreement. With Fatah and Hamas split for the last two years, and with Netanyahu in charge in Israel, the prospects for concessions on either side were basically nil. Mitchell never had a chance.
Ironically, as he leaves, the prospects for a peace agreement seem to be looking up. Hamas and Fatah have come to a power-sharing agreement that could theoretically allow the Palestinians to negotiate with one voice. Meanwhile, the Arab Spring has focused the minds of Israeli leaders, and the UN is set to formally recognize Palestine along the 1967 borders in the fall. How long will Netanyahu hold on to power, and who will replace him?
I don’t know, but it seems like Israel needs to get out in front of events for a change, and that could mean there will be a potential for progress.
