Uncertainty Persists, Leaders Hope Mideast Peace Talks Continue
Mideast peace talks could be derailed before they actually get going, but it appears likely that there will be some progress on West Bank development that could help to move things forward.
It is uncertain whether Mideast peace talks will continue, especially in the wake of Israel’s refusal to budge on West Bank concessions. Despite the uncertainty, however, U.S., Israeli and Palestinian leaders are hopeful that talks will continue and that real progress will be made. Thus far, little has been achieved and, in reality, the talks haven’t actually started in earnest. Such is the nature of talks between Israel and Palestine, which exhibit differences that are so deep-rooted and severe that merely sitting down at the negotiating table is a process.
A U.S. official who is close to the negotiations noted yesterday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be moving toward making a deal to keep the talks going, and Palestinian official said essentially the same thing. Neither side appears to want the talks to break down, a positive first step. Problems persist, however, over the contentious issue of Israeli building in the West Bank. To keep things moving along, the White House and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton continue to offer proposals and to cajole, persuade and otherwise push the leadership of each party to keep at it.
Noted State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley, "We at a critical stage in the process. We want to see the negotiations continue. We don’t want to see the parties step away from this process, and we continue to offer ideas to both sides as to how to navigate through the settlement issue that currently confronts us." It is, as Crowley notes, the primary issue at hand before the process can truly move forward.
A U.S. official who is close to the negotiations noted yesterday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be moving toward making a deal to keep the talks going, and Palestinian official said essentially the same thing. Neither side appears to want the talks to break down, a positive first step. Problems persist, however, over the contentious issue of Israeli building in the West Bank. To keep things moving along, the White House and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton continue to offer proposals and to cajole, persuade and otherwise push the leadership of each party to keep at it.
Noted State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley, "We at a critical stage in the process. We want to see the negotiations continue. We don’t want to see the parties step away from this process, and we continue to offer ideas to both sides as to how to navigate through the settlement issue that currently confronts us." It is, as Crowley notes, the primary issue at hand before the process can truly move forward.
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