Story highlights Aaron David Miller says the idea that Donald Trump's son-in-law could bring about Mideast peace is wildly optimistic

The key missing element is a willingness on the part of the two sides to strike a deal, he says

Aaron David Miller is a vice president and distinguished fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and author of "The End of Greatness: Why America Can't Have (and Doesn't Want) Another Great President." Miller was a Middle East negotiator in Democratic and Republican administrations. Follow him @aarondmiller2. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his.

(CNN) On Monday, two European newspapers published an interview with President-elect Donald Trump during which he asserted (again) that his son-in-law -- soon to be a special adviser in the White House -- is "a natural" to fix the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Aaron David Miller

I wish my father-in-law had as much confidence in me. I've worked and analyzed the Israeli-Palestinian issue for Republican and Democratic administrations longer than Jared Kushner's been alive without much success. So why not give Mr. Kushner a chance?

The fact that Mr. Trump is prepared to give this important brief to a son-in-law who may become one of his closest advisers would ensure that the issue gets high-level attention. Still, the odds of success are slim. And here are several reasons why.

It's not the man in the middle: Let's stop infantilizing the Israelis and Palestinians and treating them as if they were pieces on the chess board that can be moved around at America's discretion. America certainly plays a role in the perpetuation of the conflict; but not the primary role. That honor belongs to the parties that live in the neighborhood.

Given the stakes, they are the only ones who can begin the game. And right now neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas are prepared to start, let alone make, big decisions.

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