Throughout all the months of negotiations led by US Secretary of State John Kerry, former Minister Yossi Beilin asked himself what, exactly, the Americans were trying to do and why they didn't understand that the attempt to reach a final status agreement is futile. The former Meretz chairman, who was also one of the architects of the Oslo Accord and the Geneva Initiative, hoped that perhaps there was information he was not privy to. But he knew very quickly that, as he had foreseen, no good would emerge from this round of talks.

In a May 28 interview with Al-Monitor, Beilin argues that assuming a permanent arrangement is not possible at this stage, the only implementable solution is an interim arrangement along the lines of former US President George W. Bush’s road map. And like those who preceded him, Beilin criticizes the way the Americans mediated between the sides in the recent months. The text of the interview follows:

Al-Monitor:  As an expert with experience in negotiating with the Palestinians, why was the current round of talks unsuccessful?

Beilin:  I keep trying to figure out what it was about. What did Kerry really think when he began the process? What was his basis for thinking that [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu would be ready, at least at this stage, to agree to what is necessary to reach a permanent arrangement? Why did he think that [Palestinian President] Mahmoud Abbas could commit on Hamas’ behalf that if a peace agreement is signed between both sides, there wouldn’t be rockets from Gaza? I am not saying this rhetorically. I truly do not understand.