Despite decades of conflict, the region still mistakes force for strength and neglects the quiet power of diplomacy. The Middle East has long been trapped in a cycle of repetition: wars that promise change but deliver none, truces that fade before the ink dries, and leaders who inherit conflicts instead of ending them. It is a region reliving its own Groundhog Day, the same disputes, the same rhetoric, the same missed opportunities. Nowhere is this paralysis more visible than in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Faces at the negotiating table change, slogans are rebranded, yet the essence of the crisis endures. The latest violence — from Gaza to the West Bank — is not an isolated episode. It is a reminder that unresolved injustice breeds perpetual instability. Ignoring Palestine is not a political oversight; it is a strategic error that endangers regional and global stability alike. In this landscape of fatigue and frustration, diplomacy remains the only route not yet exhausted. It is slow, imperfect, and often thankless but it works. I became convinced of this during a visit to Belfast for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the accord that transformed Northern Ireland from a battlefield into a functioning peace. There, I saw a city once defined by checkpoints and bombings become a model of coexistence. During the commemoration, I briefly met Senator George Mitchell, the American mediator whose patience and persistence made that accord possible. Our conversation was brief, but his message lingered: diplomacy may take years, but it always costs less than a single day of war. Mitchell's quiet conviction echoed through the event, attended by figures like Tony Blair and Bill Clinton. His statue, unveiled at the university, was not merely a tribute but a testament to the endurance of dialogue over destruction. His philosophy was simple: talking is harder than fighting but it is the only act that builds nations instead of burying them. The Middle East could draw lessons from that Irish experience. Empowering moderates—Palestinian and Israeli alike—is not naïve idealism; it is strategic realism. The Palestinian Authority must reform itself into a credible partner, while Israel must accept that true security cannot rest on occupation. Diplomacy should not be treated as an afterthought but as a doctrine. It is not a sign of weakness but of wisdom. In a globalized world, security is no longer a national asset, it is a shared one. The region's stability is inseparable from the world's, and every flare-up in Gaza or Lebanon ripples far beyond its borders. Recent Arab summits, particularly those in Jeddah, have hinted at a new diplomatic momentum, one that prizes dialogue over dominance. It is an opening that should not be squandered. What the Middle East needs is not another peace plan drafted in haste, but a sustained regional reconciliation effort anchored in trust, inclusion, and realism. Belfast proved that reconciliation is possible even after decades of hatred. The same patience and courage that ended the Troubles can — with the right leadership — help the Middle East escape its own endless loop. As George Mitchell once said, smiling through the weight of his own history: "Every conflict can be resolved if people talk instead of fight." — Sultan Alsaad is a Saudi writer and journalist who has worked for several Arab newspapers and presented a number of television programs.
