The Perennial 'Peace Plan' Mirage
FIRST INSTANCE: The First 'Roadmap' Dream (2002-2003) The concept of a multi-phase 'roadmap to peace' for Israel-Palestine isn't exactly groundbreaking. The George W. Bush administration, following the recommendations of the Quartet (US, EU, UN, Russia), unveiled its own 'Roadmap for Peace' in 2003. This intricately detailed plan also envisioned phases, an end to violence, and the dismantling of
militant groups, specifically mentioning Hamas. REPETITIONS: The Obama and Trump Administrations' Echoes (2009-2020) Fast forward to the Obama era and Secretary of State John Kerry's persistent, yet ultimately fruitless, peace efforts (2013-2014). These talks, too, were presented as a 'last chance' for a two-state solution, with similar demands for security guarantees and an end to Palestinian
'incitement.' Then came the much-touted 'Deal of the Century' from the Trump administration (2020), which, like its predecessors, proposed a framework for future relations, including economic incentives, while conspicuously sidelining core Palestinian demands and presenting disarmament as a non-negotiable prerequisite. OUTCOMES: The Predictable Dénouement Each time, despite the fanfare, the
'plans' largely collapsed. The 2003 Roadmap was essentially dead by 2005, primarily due to unmet conditions by both sides, including continued Israeli settlement expansion and Palestinian factional violence. Kerry's efforts foundered over issues of borders, security, and Jerusalem. Trump's 'Deal' was rejected outright by the Palestinian Authority and never genuinely took off. In each instance, the