With a U.S. president not running for another term and a secretary of state not seeking higher office, John Kerry has been able to move the Middle East peace process forward thus far in ways not available to Hillary Clinton and George Mitchell. Assuming he can keep the show on the road, he probably still has to get a deal done before the UN General Assembly meets again next year. He not only has to secure a Final Status Agreement – and most commentators think he can’t – he also has to guide the Palestinians and Israelis through a referendum to a ‘Yes’ vote.

Critically, on this point, even the optimistic J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami noted:

“The publics on both sides have hardened their positions in the last 20 years…I think the ultimate deal will involve sacrifices and compromises…all of us will have a tough selling job to do and we have to be ready to do that.”

In the face of strident opposition from all those opposed to an agreement, a “tough selling job” is probably the winning understatement of this year’s J Street annual conference. Can it be done and, at the same time, help secure peace? Providing the American, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are willing to learn the lessons of the successful peace process and referendum in Northern Ireland, the failed referendum in Cyprus and failed negotiations in Kosovo, I think they can.

Read the article in full at Haaretz