Friday October 1, 2010

I've Been Thinking:

87 US Senators have signed and sent a letter to President Barak Obama.

The text of the letter is a subtle yet unmistakable attack on the Palestinians and on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The text expresses astonishment that a party would walk away from negotiations at the very beginning of serious talks, astonishment that the parties have barely started stalking and yet the Palestinians are threatening to stop talking.

The letter notes that on the first day of the negotiations a terror attack murdered four innocent Israelis and, despite the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that Abbas is his peace partner. Netanyahu could have easily walked away from the talks - but he did not.

The real purpose of the letter is to tell the president that the Senate wants pressure brought on the Palestinians. That they do not want pressure brought on the Israelis. That in their eyes it seems that the Israelis have already compromised enough.

In other words, get something - even a gesture from the Palestinians. Coming to the table while there is settlement activity on the West Bank would be just such a gesture.

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