RUTHFULLY YOURS

President Shimon Peres’ diplomatic meetings have no significance whatsoever, if we ignore for a moment the significance of the good feeling they bestow upon our president. Shimon Peres is addicted to secret meetings. They remind him of distant days where he cooked up sensational peace processes under the public’s nose. A meeting here, a quick concession there.

“The meeting was held at the king’s palace and bilateral issues were discussed,” the President’s Office said, toying with lofty worlds. The term “bilateralism” has an intoxicating diplomatic scent, as if real things are happening behind the curtain, yet in this case bilateralism can be summed up with “good morning your majesty” and “what would you like to drink.”

Nothing significant is happening in the Middle East at this time with the exception of the events in Cairo’s squares and on the streets of Syria.

“Ways that will enable the sides to overcome the obstacles in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians were discussed,” the President’s Office added. With all due respect, that’s nonsense. Abdullah cannot help us soften Mahmoud Abbas, and Peres cannot turn Abdullah into Kissinger.

What we need at this time is not a good mediator, but rather, a prominent psychologist who will gently explain to Peres that the diplomatic process between Israel and the Palestinians has reached its final stop a long time ago. It’s done. The end.

Back in 2000 in Camp David, it turned out that we shall never be fat enough to satisfy the Palestinian appetite, and ever since then we’ve been at a dead-end. The Palestinians don’t want to, and Israel cannot.

The international mediators who still come and go from time to time, as well as the peace chatter at press conferences with high-ranking officials in attendance, are no more than the death convulsions of a lizard’s tail. A matter of habit.

Oslo is dead. There is no final-status agreement. Only Shimon Peres is still alive and well, and is expected to be holding secret meetings for years to come.