Iran - US
Turning to the Middle East in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis does not provide much hope that the crisis will help to outline or implement new policies. Iran is certainly one of the most impacted countries by COVID-19. Partly that is the result of mismanagement by the country’s leadership itself. But this is predominantly the result of the isolation that the country faces due to international sanctions. And the severity of sanctions depends on US sanctions policy. Already in the past, it would have been much more helpful - even in the Western interest of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons - to stick to the JCPOA. But Mr. Trump, Israel, and Saudi Arabia did not like any reasonable agreement with Iran.
But at the very least - with the heavy suffering of the Iranian people due to the coronavirus - the lifting or at least lightening of sanctions would be a humane act. Many politicians and media around the world ask for such a humanitarian attitude. But up to now, Trump has not changed his mind. And even allowing to sell drugs to Iran is a theoretical and ultimately cynical offer, as no Western bank would finance such transactions out of fear of US anger and fury. Until now, the Trump administration is missing a chance to win the heart of the Iranian people. Moreover, there are hardliners such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who aim to use the coronavirus and the attention to the Iranian government to attack Iran. The US under Trump has lost any moral guideline in international politics.
Israel - Palestine
Another sad event took place in Israel when the leader of Kahol Lavan, Benny Gantz, surrendered to Benyamin Netanyahu. He was ready to join a government with Likud and the ultra-Orthodox under the leadership of Netanyahu. Gantz called it a government of national unity. But there is no national unity with such a dividing and divisive personality like Netanyahu. And there is no national unity without participation or at least support of the Arab Knesset members.
And if possible in any way, Netanyahu will not resign in 18 months as promised. He has already broken so many promises. As Yossi Verter wrote in Haaretz: “Even if Gantz gets half the cabinet, the balance of power surely won’t be even. Netanyahu and his comrades will treat Gantz’s people like circus animals who have put on a happy face while enduring the whip.” Gantz not only betrayed the partner in his blue/white coalition of parties but also the hopes that many people had that he will end the dreadful Netanyahu period. But instead, we will get another 18 months - and perhaps longer - of authoritarian rule and no ideas on how to bring peace to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Maybe this “deal borne of treachery” (Chemi Shalev in Haaretz) will bring change to Israeli politics. But it will certainly not produce ideas on how to get closer towards peace in the Middle East. And we need such ideas and closer cross-border cooperation now, especially as the virus affects both Israel and the Palestinian Territories. And particularly as the virus affects the poorer Arab population of Israel more severely, it demands stronger involvement of Arab representatives inside Israel.
Dr. Hannes Swoboda, President of the International Institute for Peace (IP), started his career in urban politics in Vienna and was elected member of the European Parliament in 1996. He was Vice President of the Social Democrat Group until 2012 und then President until 2014. He was particularly engaged in foreign, enlargement, and neighborhood policies. Swoboda is also President of the Vienna Institute for International Economics, the Centre of Architecture, the University for Applied Science - Campus Vienna, and the Sir Peter Ustinov Institute.