The mediation mirage in Palestine

By Nicola Nasser
Asia Times

".....The International Crisis Group, in an executive summary on May 7, concluded that the US-led mediation efforts have "become a collective addiction … And so the illusion continues," adding: "All actors are now engaged in a game of make-believe: that a resumption of talks in the current context can lead to success; that an agreement can be reached within a short timeframe; that the Quartet is an effective mediator, …" On April 26, the American Jewish newspaper Algemeiner described the "Middle East Quartet" as "An Institutionalized Failure."

Israel, the US and the Quartet mediators are all winners in this "make-believe" non-delivering mediation; the Palestinian people are the only losers.

Palestinians have had enough and now saying enough is enough: Peace is a mirage, peace-making is a failure, peace process is a sham, peace mediators are a fake, and if all the parties involved can enjoy the luxury of "addiction" to the status quo, Palestinians cannot; their survival is at stake."