Will Trump Also Not Be Able to Solve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?

• 06.18.2017, 22:29
•  Near East,  World,  Analytics

CNN.com

On June 19 the UNHRC will discuss ICJ advisory report on the failure of both Israelis and Palestinians to comply with humanitarian law in Geneva. "The High Commissioner suggests the Human Rights Council consider recommending to the General Assembly that it make use of its powers under Article 96 (a) of the Charter of the UN in order to specify how all parties can fulfill their obligations in implementing the recommendations reviewed in the present report," the document stated, The Jerusalem Post reports. The UNHRC issued 253 recommendations on issues of accountability and access to justice, 187 of which were directed at Israel and another 68 at the Palestinians.

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has already criticized the report calling it an "anti-Israeli" one. "The council, and indeed the entire United Nations, were founded on the principles of equality and fairness. This report once again fails that mission," Haley said, CNS News reports.

The US has always been a close ally of Israel. However, during the last years of Obama’s presidency the relations deteriorated, which then improved when Trump became the US President. Many hoped that Trump will be able to record progress in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, after his visit to Israel and the announcements made there, it became clear that not much will be changed.

"There are those who present a false choice. They say that we must choose between supporting Israel and supporting Arab and Muslim nations in the region. That is completely wrong," Trump said adding that it will not be easy to make peace. "Both sides will face tough decisions. But with determination, compromise and the belief that peace is possible, Israelis and Palestinians can make a deal," Trump said, The Hill reports.  

The main reason the conflict is not being solved is that there is no trust between the sides, hence no one is ready to make concessions, each demanding the implementation of its vision of the solution. Despite the fact that the sides have given their consent on two-state solution, five core issues still remain the main obstacles - borders, security issues, Jerusalem, refugees and mutual recognition. The 50-year-old conflict seems not to end in the near future. Different resolutions and such reports as the one of ICJ, play little role in the settlement process, when the sides do not express willingness to comply with them. Maybe a new approach for building trust between the sides is needed to bring the settlement process out of the deadlock.