AT the end of last week Washington was abuzz with rumours that President Obama had sent a letter to Israel prime minister Netanyahu proposing a 60-day extension of the Israeli freeze on West Bank settlements in order to avoid a Palestinian walk-out from the negotiations.
A po-faced White House spokesman said that that there was no such letter. Yesterday afternoon Mr Netanyahu summoned his senior ministers to discuss a proposal from President Obama for a 60-extension of the setttlement freeze etc, etc. Meanwhile the Libya meeting of Arab States with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas was postponed for a second time and is now scheduled for Friday. Much as I may hope for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian stand-off and agreement on a two-state solution of two states living in peace etc, etc, I cannot see what point there could be in a 60-day extension when all the signs show that nothing has been achieved in the past 60 years. If Israel will unconditionally stop the setttlements building on illegally-occupied land negotiations can re-start and might eventually get somewhere.
But a series of stop-start 60-day extensions will simply prolong the agony. Perhaps President Obama has some grand plan that will prove the no-sayers wrong. If so, the sooner he produces it the better, whether or not the negotiations are open.
If it's good enough, they will meet.
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