Tony Klug
The Diplomat
People, composure and the difficult conversation held well.
Tony Klug is a seasoned expert on the Israel-Palestine conflict, known for his deep understanding of the historical narratives that shape it. This interview reveals his diplomatic approach to conflict resolution, focusing on building trust and coalitions among diverse stakeholders to foster peace.
“Was huge euphoria at first when the Oslo Accords were agreed and published. I remember giving a speech somewhere saying, well, it looks like the conflict is over. And that wasn't a question of optimism. I mean, it did look as if that was the direction it was going.”
“It's very weak, it's very old, and it doesn't have the support of its people. So even if you were to do a deal with them, which the Israeli government, the current Israeli government, would never do, they can't deliver. I mean, I think Israel really missed the boat there with not dealing with Arafat.”
“You can deduce that strategy. It's difficult to deduce any other strategy other than maybe a total frustration and a prison breakout sort of thing without consideration of the consequences, which have been absolutely dire.”
“Well, again, you have to think in terms of you're now talking about a peace situation, not a war situation, so there's no problem with contiguity. Everyone who's living there will be either a Palestinian citizen or a Palestinian resident. All the barriers and checkpoints and so on will have been taken down.”
The Rest Is Politics: Leading — 47. Tony Klug: Could the Israel-Hamas conflict restart the peace process?
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