Quartet meeting in ...
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I am not suggesting that every other Israeli government would necessarily behave differently from Netanyahu's. However, his track record shows that he differs from his rivals and has consistently beat the drums of war, as he has viewed and continues to view the continuation of conflict as essential to his political survival.
The second factor is the outcome of the US elections on November 3. It is true that neither the Congress, the House of Representatives nor the Senate, can have a decisive influence on Trump's conduct, given the extremely broad powers vested in the US president. Nevertheless, the election results will show him that, after January, he will be dealing with a Congress in which the Democrats hold the majority. They will be able to exert greater pressure on him.
Meanwhile, the American public is facing serious difficulties because of rising fuel prices. The public is struggling to understand why the US government should start a war in the first place.
Despite all these circumstances, however, the possibility of war after November 3 remains high.
At the same time, any effort that can help ease tensions should be welcomed. The four-way meeting cannot work miracles, but it is a positive step toward promoting peace, stability and security, and it should therefore be welcomed.
Any dialogue, negotiation or meeting that can contribute to peace and security and reduce the likelihood of war deserves support.
Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia do not have a decisive influence over the decisions of the United States. Nevertheless, all the available indications and evidence suggest that when regional countries stand together and cooperate, the Israelis will find it more difficult to exploit the situation to pursue warmongering policies and push for the continuation of the war.