MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

 Running Head: MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS 1
Middle East Peace Process
Name
Institutional Affiliation
MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS 2
Abstract
The duration of the conflict in the Middle East suggests that the term ‘peace process’ may not be
entirely accurate. Further, it appears that process has been longer than the genuine peace.
Nowhere is this better illustrated than the apparent standoff between Israel and Palestine.
Evidence suggests that the term stalemate should now be used to describe the situation in the
area. The Arab spring that engulfed parts of the Middle East and Africa only showed the world
that the region is still volatile; however, it is not all war and chaos, as there are plenty of
positives about the seemingly ever-warring continent. There is a lot of diversity, culture, and
innovation, which provide a ray of hope for the Middle East. This paper will discuss the conflict
that has existed between Israel and Palestine, the support that has been given by countries such
as the United States of America to bring peace to the region, and what may be done to end the
stalemate.
Keywords: Middle East, Peace Process, Stalemate
MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS 3
Middle East Peace Process
The Israeli-Palestine conflict is as old as civilization. Just whose fault it depends on who
you ask. Pose that question to devoted Zionists, and you will surely be informed that the
annexation of the land acquired by Israel was done to reclaim ancestral land. Contrastingly, ask a
Palestinian, and he or she will tell you they only retaliated against the indiscriminate compulsory
acquisition of their territory. Whatever the case, a thorough investigation of the historical
injustices that exist is needed to comprehend the situation fully. The following paper will
highlight the origin and effects of the conflict, what the rest of the world has done to put an end
to it, and what solutions lie ahead.
There has been significant civil strife in the Middle East, which has resulted in numerous
casualties, the displacement of millions, and some of the direst humanitarian situations ever seen.
Nowhere has this been more apparent than the seemingly never-ending war between Israel and
Palestine. Anyone who has been around for long enough is aware of the current conflict. All the
conflict arises from a perceived sense of entitlement to the land that each country believes is their
ancestral home. To provide the situation some perspective, Leech (2014) puts the number of
Palestinians killed from 2000 to 2014 at 8,701. By contrast, about 1,138 Israelis were killed over
the same period. This sets the ratio of Palestinians to Israelis at 8:1 (Leech, 2014). As is the
natural way of things, each side has garnered supporters who believe that it is the other party
who is at fault. Several western states, such as America and Canada have openly supported Israel
for the simple reason that there is a large population of Jews in those two nations. Further,
because Jews own a significant share of the communication and media industry, there has been a
massive distortion of the facts of the conflict. The rest of the world has mostly sympathized with
Palestine’s plight. 
MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS 4
Various measures have also been taken to place an end to the decades of fighting between
the neighboring states. For instance, in 1967, after six days of continuous fighting, the United
Nations Security Council through Resolution 242 asked Israel to withdraw its troops from areas
that were considered sovereign. It was one of the first steps taken in what has now been dubbed
as the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP). Another significant milestone in the peace process
were the talks mediated by Henry Kissinger, the then U.S. Secretary of the State. The mediation
talks held with the belligerents of Yom Kippur helped to diffuse a potentially deadly situation.
Although the talks had stalled for some time after Richard Nixon’s resignation, they eventually
proved to be successful (Friedman, 2012). 1975 is the year that the two states came closest to a
peace deal. After the Kissinger-led talks, the peace process seemed like it would finally bear
fruit. There was the suggestion that Israel would permanently withdraw its soldiers, and that
settlements would be as they were before 1967. Peace talks were also organized by former
United States President George Bush Sr., which included Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Syria in
1991 after achieving success at the Gulf War. The talks did not produce much, but provided a
framework that had been missing. Although America has been a strong backer of Israel, as
recently as 2012, President Obama angered the Israeli Prime Minister by suggesting that
negotiations begin afresh. It is apparent that negotiations have yielded mixed results and varying
degrees of success.
It is in the best interest of the world to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict. America certainly
tried its best before O