Carnegie Middle East Center
- Search
- Global Resources
Shortcuts
Our Network
The decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by President Trump was a political decision, not a foreign policy decision. It was about President Trump and his supporters, and not about moving the peace process forward.
By accepting that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, Trump torpedoes the potential role of the U.S. as a neutral broker in the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis.
Egypt and Palestinian parties have strong tactical reasons to make the reconciliation deal work.
Arab states, especially after the Gaza crisis of the summer, are viewing Israel more skeptically when it comes to the peace process.
With the whole region in a period of change, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has proven more elusive than in previous times of conflict.
One of the few positive outcomes of the current conflict in Gaza is that the Palestinian Authority may have a chance to play a greater role in Gaza.
Israel and Hamas have found themselves sucked into a conflict that neither side really wanted and that outside powers seem reluctant or unable to stop.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has to work through parties who are in direct touch with Hamas, such as the Palestinian Authority and maybe the Qatari government, to work out a ceasefire.
Egypt is a party to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It probably has to be part of the solution. But it can’t play the same kind of brokering role that it played in the past.
In the past, Egypt has played the leading role in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the United States played more of a supportive role.