Israel’s foreign policy has changed in tone but not in substance
It is unlikely to engage with the Palestinians
EVEN THOUGH Ramallah and Jerusalem are but a few minutes’ drive apart, no Israeli minister had met the Palestinian president for seven years. The taboo was broken on August 29th when Israel’s defence minister, Benny Gantz, visited Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, the Palestinians’ administrative capital. The Israelis were at pains to emphasise that they had discussed only “routine security matters” and that “there is no diplomatic process with the Palestinians and will not be.” Mr Gantz touched on nothing of substance, least of all the long-moribund peace process.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Manage the conflict”
From the September 4th 2021 edition
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