Strategic Assessment

The impasse that has characterized the Israeli-Palestinian political process has commonly been dubbed a “political freeze.” Nevertheless, the word “freeze” is far from describing relations between Israel and the Palestinians. Indeed, the conflict theater is as dynamic as ever, notwithstanding the lack of progress toward a settlement and the decelerated pace of the PA’s march toward international recognition of Palestinian independence. Ironically, it is precisely the political stalemate that has clarified issues that Israel and the Palestinians should have a joint interest in addressing and rethinking. Ongoing cooperation can serve as a basis for restoring mutual trust, so that with changes in the political atmosphere on both sides, it can also be a basis for resuming concrete negotiations.