Former Egyptian Ambassador: Peace Efforts Between Palestine and Israel Stalled by Settlement Expansion

Mohamed Anis Salem, a former Egyptian ambassador, has stated that there’s a long history of proposals to resolve the Palestinian issue, dating back over a century. However, he underscores the recent setbacks in peace efforts due to Israel’s commitment to settlement expansion. Salem points to the Arab Peace Initiative, the Clinton Administration’s peace plan, and Trump’s proposal as examples of initiatives that, despite their importance, have fallen short. He emphasizes that while these initiatives have sought to establish a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with adjustments, and pave the way for normalization, their implementation has been hampered by Israel’s steadfast pursuit of settlement expansion and its control over Palestinian lands. He argues that these obstacles continue to impede progress in the peace process.