GAZA. From one “Quartet” to another, the same recipes, the same failures

GAZA. From one “Quartet” to another: the same recipes, the same failures

On 29 September 2025, President Trump’s 20-point plan, under which Washington imposed a ceasefire in Gaza, was revealed. This measure brought a temporary end to the two-year conflict.

The origins of the Quartet

The Quartet for the Middle East includes representatives from the United States, the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), and the Russian Federation. The group was established in 2002 during the second Intifada, at a time when the Oslo peace process had collapsed following the failed Camp David negotiations in 2000, the Taba talks in January 2001, and the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, DC.

Objectives and evolution

Over time, the Quartet’s mission has shifted, but its most notable project was the “Road Map” of April 2003, a detailed plan meant to guide Israelis and Palestinians toward renewed negotiations. Although the original context that shaped the Quartet no longer exists, the organization formally remains active—even if its role today seems undefined.

The impact of 9/11

The 11 September 2001 attacks by Al-Qaida can be viewed as the event that gave rise to the Quartet. Following those attacks, US, European, and Russian envoys decided to take joint diplomatic action in Gaza. Their goal was to encourage Yasser Arafat to acknowledge that international relations were entering a new phase and that collaboration with those leading “the war against terrorism” was the only viable path forward.

“There was no other choice but to rally behind those who were waging the war against terrorism.”

Author’s summary

The creation and persistence of the Quartet reveal how global crises repeatedly reshape Middle Eastern diplomacy, yet often produce the same limited results.

Orient XXI — 2025-11-04