It was written in the news that, during her latest visit to the Middle East, the U.S. ‎Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, asked the Israeli government to take effective ‎measures to improve the living conditions of Palestinians. She also asked the Israeli ‎government to commit to the removal of 61 barriers that restrict the movement of ‎Palestinians in the West Bank. She also characterized the expansion of Israeli settlements ‎in the West Bank as “problematic” and pressured Israel to afford Palestinians greater ‎freedom of movement in the West Bank. ‎

Coinciding with Rice’s remarks, the group of four (United Nations, European Union, ‎United States and Russia) met last Friday in London and called on Israel to halt building ‎new settlements in the West Bank, also asking Palestinians to stop their military attacks ‎on Israel. ‎

The promises are sweet. But is it possible to fulfill them? Can one still share in the hope ‎of Condoleezza Rice that it is possible for Israelis and Palestinians to reach a peace deal ‎prior to the end of the present year? ‎

When we examine the news more carefully, we realize that peace in the Middle East is ‎not attainable under current conditions. Radicals feed on war, not on peace. Radicalism ‎is reigning supreme across the globe, with every corner of the earth breeding the ‎conditions suitable for it. In the absence of a powerful state in Israel, radicals have not ‎left any space for democracy, upon which peace can be built. Palestinian radicals have ‎also become successful in turning into an influential force and weakening the Palestinian ‎Authority. ‎

Radicals in the world have decided to use their differences as a ploy to promote and ‎empower radicalism all over the world at the expense of peace and human rights. Iranian ‎radicalism, whose symbol currently is Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has empowered the ‎Israeli radicalism. Israeli radicalism, with the aid of Iran’s political mistakes, has ‎supplied the American radicalism with armor. Palestinian radicalism has legitimized ‎actions that are considered to be against human rights in Palestinian territories. The ‎result is what you see. ‎

The global community does not see that the Iranian population is battling inflation and ‎oppression, and widespread human rights violations have limited the opportunity to ‎criticize the government’s (economic and foreign policy) performance. The condition of ‎human rights in Iran is not covered much in the news because so much attention is ‎focused on the nuclear issue and sanctions against Iran. ‎

Iranians are living with the nightmare of possible military attack and their difficult and ‎terrible economic condition has become unbearable. Nevertheless, the Iranian society is ‎alive and active and is working hard to find a way out of the present dead-end. ‎

Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s performance, particularly his handling of the economy, is ‎gradually becoming the subject of criticism of people from his own camp, and the Majlis ‎has begun the process to impeach his ministers. As is often noted in certain circles, ‎Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not the only decision-maker in Iran. ‎

The very same words that have empowered radicals across the globe, however, also have ‎turned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad into a hero in certain parts of the world. Researchers and ‎academics must examine the roots of this popularity and unravel political failures that ‎have derailed the peace process in the Middle East and contributed to the popularity of ‎figures like Ahmadinejad. ‎

One cannot believe that peace and stability will be achieved in the world and Middle East ‎by destroying Iran. Achieving peace requires dialogue. ‎