Why not more secret negotiations to resolve international issues? 
Seemingly out of nowhere, Russia and the West proceeded with the biggest prisoner exchange since the Cold War. A major agreement had been struck, negotiated in secret over the past two years. Its announcement took the world by surprise, providing some elation but also profound admiration for how it had been arrived at.
It reminded me of the true power of diplomacy: painstakingly working out an agreement far from the spotlight, allowing negotiations the time and space necessary to address the needs and interests of all parties.
When the Oslo Agreement between Palestinians and Israelis was announced in 1993, the world was equally surprised. It had taken place after two years of discreet negotiations in Norway. Less than one month later, Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin were shaking hands on the White House’s lawn.
The accord — which set up an interim Palestinian Authority, required the withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of the West Bank and Gaza, and resolved to reach a final agreement within five years — was a tremendous achievement. It was sadly orphaned and left to expire with the assassination of Rabin in 1995 by a rightwing extremist.
These two examples show how patient negotiations away from outside scrutiny and pressure can yield unexpected results. Even in a context of bombs and fiery confrontation, they can produce results that open a window for peace and understanding.
So, what is holding us back today? Israel’s continued targeted assassinations clearly show that Tel Aviv has no interest in peace. The quiet negotiations intended to allow for a prisoner swap between Israelis and Palestinians have been purposefully derailed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This is most likely because he has no interest in resolving a situation that would lead to him losing his seat of power.
Against the fire of hatred, let us build a patient and inconspicuous road to peace.
President Joe Biden exhibited the opposite when he chose not to run for a second term, putting his country’s interests above his own. Netanyahu appears determined to drag everything down in the sole interest of his own preservation. However, a sensible deal was indeed struck with President Vladimir Putin, so it should not be impossible to strike a deal with Netanyahu if the right elements are put on the table.
Gaza has been all but destroyed, and tens of thousands of innocent Gazans have been killed. We cannot stand by as such tragedy and savagery continue. Instead of playing Netanyahu’s wicked waiting game, we should take an example from the quiet, sensible diplomacy that has shown it can yield tremendous results.
Away from the spotlight and offering the right incentives, we have a chance not only at ending the Gaza war but at reaching a broader resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict itself. Against the fire of hatred, let us build a patient and inconspicuous road to peace.
• Hassan bin Youssef Yassin worked closely with Saudi Arabia’s petroleum ministers, Abdullah Tariki and Ahmed Zaki Yamani, from 1959-1967. He led the Saudi Information Office in Washington from 1972-1981 and served with the Arab League’s observer delegation to the UN from 1981-1983.
