Peace Talks are doubtful anytime soon

 

Jerusalem Prayer Team's Mike Evans:

 



 Peace Talks between Israel and Palestinians Denied                                    

The announcement by Secretary of State John Kerry that both the Israelis and Palestinians had agreed to direct peace talks has been refuted by sources on both sides. Many veteran observers have been amazed and even dismayed by the focus Secretary Kerry has placed on this issue with so many other crisis events taking place—civil war in Syria, a government toppled in Egypt, and of course, Iran's continuing nuclear weapons program.

Instead Kerry has focused intently on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Since becoming Secretary of State earlier this year, he has made six trips to try to restart the peace talks. Yet despite his best efforts (some observers viewed his announcement as an attempt to strong-arm the parties into an agreement they had not reached), the Palestinians continue to refuse to even talk to the Israelis unless they first receive the concessions that they would hope to get from any negotiations.

It is not hard to see why Israel has little interest in such a deal. My old friend Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly said that Israel is prepared to begin talks immediately if there are no pre-conditions. This is the hurdle that Secretary of State Kerry has been attempting to clear…without success.

The reason there is no peace is that one side has no interest in peace, and in truth, even if Palestinian President Abbas reached a deal (which he has no interest in doing—remember this is the man who financed the Black September PLO terrorist raid that killed the Israeli athletes and coaches at the Munich Olympics), he could not enforce it. His Fatah party is so weak that he refuses to hold elections that he knows he would lose. In fact, Abbas is now in the ninth year of his four-year term as president!

Those of us who love and support Israel must not be deceived by the promises of peace talks. When such talks have been held in the past, it is always Israel that must make concessions and never the Palestinians. Knowing what I know about both Israeli and Palestinian politics right now, it is doubtful that any direct peace talks will be held in the near future. Instead of the current approach of almost worshipping negotiations as an end in themselves, the time and effort and influence of the United States would be far better spent dealing with the real issues.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. This is not a problem that will be solved  apart from God's intervention.