On February 17, the Valdai Discussion Club held the second session of its Ninth Middle East Conference, titled "Conflicts and Mediators".
Despite the tremendous efforts of the governments of Middle Eastern states, global actors and international organizations, the level of conflict in the region is showing an upward trend. It is impossible to name almost any conflict situation that could be successfully “resolved”; moreover, new fault lines have appeared. The positions of global and regional players, increasingly intervening in conflicts in individual countries, including through the use of military force, are becoming more irreconcilable. Many politicians question the effectiveness of international law and the institution of international mediators. With regard to the Syrian crisis, Russia has shown the ability to take bold and unconventional actions that have led to a marked reduction in the level of violence.
Why does conflict continue to erode the region like a cancerous tumour? Why is the solution of the Palestinian issue embedded in UN Security Council resolutions becoming less and less tangible? What are the lessons that the global community should learn from local crises?