Questions without answers

US President Barack Obama, in an interview with Bloomberg TV station on the eve of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US, wondered why Israel is reluctant to arrive at peace with the Palestinians.

“If not now, when? And if not you, Mr. Prime Minister, then who?” asked Obama.

The president could not have been more blunt, also, when the two met at the White House on Monday. Obama warned Netanyahu that time was running out on attaining peace with the Palestinians, that the Palestinians cannot wait forever, that Israel must stop its settlement activity in the West Bank, which has accelerated in the past few years to unprecedented levels, and told Netanyahu that the ultimate peace for Israel, and its security, entails securing peace with the Palestinians on the two-state basis.

Obama also warned Netanyahu that Israel would probably never have a better peace partner than Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

All Netanyahu had to say in return was that he wanted “real peace” and not a piece of paper!

Oh, well, normally peace is arrived at by signing a piece of paper that is binding on the sides. “Real” peace can be imposed by a piece of paper if the two sides have the will to reach that peace, but, alas, that is not the case with Israel.

The Israeli leader also arrogantly claimed that Israel has done its part for peace, but the Palestinians have yet to do the same.

Would he mean, by any chance, conquering land now belonging to Israel, settling it, dispossessing, imprisoning, besieging, depriving people of rights?

One really wonders.

Then Netanyahu brought up, again, the issue of Israel recognised as a Jewish state, as if this were the focal point of peace negotiations. It is not, and what Israel chooses to call itself is its business. Abbas said so in so many words.

The US president is right. If peace is not going to be made now, then when?

The Palestinians have waited for more than half a century for a just and durable peace that will restore their inalienable right to statehood.

How much longer must they wait?

Netanyahu is playing games and most of the world plays along.

Even if a sane leader, like Obama, sees through Israel’s ploy, the world lacks the will to hold Israel accountable for its breach of international law.

Obama and Netanyahu are miles apart in vision and ways to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

But the Israeli leader is not in a listening mood and the US president may not have the disposition to force Israel to make peace.

That brings the problem back to square one, framework agreement or not.