An Enthusiastic Biden Aims to Restart Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks

There is something inherently likable about Vice President Joe Biden. Perhaps it's his broad smile, enthusiastic grandfatherly demeanor or the simple fact that he almost always seems excited and interested in his job. In short, America's No. 2 just exudes a sort of trustworthy joie de vivre.

So perhaps he is exactly the right person to help jump-start peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine — which is precisely what he is trying to do now during his much-watched visit to the region.

Overall, Biden made it pretty clear which side the US is generally on when he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday.

“Progress occurs in the Middle East when everyone knows there is simply no space between the United States and Israel,” he said, according to The New York Times. “There is no space between the United States and Israel when it comes to Israel’s security.”

But things got a little messy later that day when Israel's Interior Minister Eli Yishai announced a plan to build 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem without consulting with its Palestinian neighbors.

Palestine's prime minister Salam Fayyad condemned the move — and Biden did too, proving he's not willing to let Israel completely call the shots.

Biden called the housing announcement, "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now," and went ahead with plans to meet with Prime Minster Fayyad Wednesday. As expected, Biden gave Fayyad his signature warm hello.

Shortly before the meeting, Fayyad issued his own statement on the housing announcement, which referenced the US specifically.

“It is damaging, for sure,” Fayyad said. “This is a moment of challenge to the efforts led by the United States to get the peace process going again."

However, Biden certainly seems up for the challenge — and if anyone can make real progress with these long-sparring neighbors, we think Biden might just be the man.

Photo by Harald Dettenborn via Wikimedia Commons.