When a conflict erupts, many observers quickly raise the prospect of a diplomatic solution. Yet peace talks rarely work, and the failure of a recent attempt to bring about a political settlement in Syria underscores the challenges that lie ahead.
A key reason why these negotiations are unlikely to succeed is that the participants have different interests and motivations. For Israel, the outcome of these discussions is likely to be a deal that leaves its claim to Jerusalem and much of the West Bank intact, while Palestinians are seeking a deal that will redress historical injustices in their favor.
Moreover, the way that current peace talks are facilitated is not helping to foster an environment conducive to successful outcomes. Too often, foreign ministers approach a conflict as a technical problem to be solved: add a concession here and subtract a demand there to see whether the numbers come up in their favour. This arithmetic approach is not enough in a conflict defined by trauma, identity, loss and justice.
Another challenge is that the international community too often neglects ‘track 2’ peacebuilding efforts at the local or sub-national level, where women are already brokering peace and shoring up resilience. This is to the detriment of peacemaking as a whole. Finally, mediators must aggressively test negotiating partners’ motives in order to winnow out spoilers who are willing to do anything to destroy the peace process. Spoilers can range from intransigence and obstructionism to attacks on civilians or noncombatants (which are a form of terrorism). Spoilers can also include factions within a political grouping that do not accept the negotiated terms of an agreement.