The Negotiators Just How Close Did Israelis and Palestinians Come to a Peace Deal in 2008?
6 snips
Nov 9, 2021 AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Joining The Negotiation Support Unit
- Khaled Elgindy joined the Negotiation Support Unit after answering a cryptic job posting and moved to Ramallah to advise Palestinian negotiators.
- He worked as the settlements policy adviser, producing maps and technical materials the Palestinian team previously lacked.
Leadership Legitimacy Undermined By Gaza Split
- The Palestinian leadership's legitimacy was weakened after Hamas took Gaza, raising doubts about Abbas's mandate to make big compromises.
- Elgindy felt the split between Gaza and the West Bank deeply undermined the negotiating position.
Deadlock Over Starting Lines
- Technical talks stalled because Israelis insisted 'realities on the ground' were the starting point while Palestinians insisted on the 1967 lines.
- Repeating this dispute made the technical track largely pointless until leaders negotiated directly.