No reasonable person would predict that a peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians is in the cards in the foreseeable future. Even forecasting the most limited progress may seem like a fool’s errand. And yet, a series of recent events reveal an unexpected glimmer of hope and suggest that, despite the pessimism of the majority of both Israelis and Palestinians, modest steps forward may be possible in the coming months.
This past Sunday, the region witnessed something that had not occurred in nearly a decade: an openly publicized, high-profile visit to Israel by a high-ranking Arab official. It was an important flash of visibility in what has been a largely quiet effort by regional players to create movement in the stalled quest for peace.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry’s visit to Israel was part of a new push spearheaded by his boss, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, to bring together Israelis and Palestinians.