Architects of Peace, Contractors of War

Diplomacy is sometimes less the art of ending war than the art of transferring responsibility for it. Many agreements born in quiet negotiating rooms fail not because the parties disagree over principles, but because no one is willing to bear the cost of implementing them. The contemporary history of the Middle East has repeatedly shown that a deep gap exists between signing an agreement and carrying it out—a gap that is often filled by violence. The latest U.S.-brokered talks in Rome have given the June 26 framework agreement between the United States, Israel, and Lebanon a new appearance of momentum. The discussions focused on proposed “pilot zones” in which Israel is to withdraw from parts of the occupied territories, the […]