How fast will Israel’s new government proceed with annexation?

IT HAS BEEN six years since Israeli and Palestinian leaders last talked to each other. There is no end in sight to the decades-old confrontation between the two sides. But the outbreak of covid-19 has at least led to “inspiring examples” of co-operation, says Nickolay Mladenov, the UN’s envoy in the region. On May 19th, for example, Israel allowed a plane from the United Arab Emirates, with which it does not have formal relations, to deliver medical supplies to the Palestinians. Israel itself has trained Palestinian medics and ensured that testing kits and protective gear reach the occupied territories. It is also planning a loan for the Palestinian Authority (PA), which runs the West Bank. “The recognition of this interdependence could—if there is political will—translate into tangible progress towards resolving the conflict,” Mr Mladenov says hopefully.