The Peace Process

Abbas sets a total construction freeze as the price for direct talks. (Ha’aretz)

Israel’s demands for West Bank security arrangements appear to involve appear to entail “turning the West Bank into another Gaza: a demilitarized state, in which Israel would control everything entering by land and air, as well as the electromagnetic spectrum and much else”–and are not consistent with it being a sovereign state. (Ha’aretz)

Is the peace process not proceeding because the leaders, and the peoples, on both sides simply aren’t sufficiently motivated? (Ha’aretz)

For getting to peace, Palestinians say: political settlement first, then understanding. For Israelis, it tends to be the other way around, and therein lies part of the problem, says J.J. Goldberg. (Forward)

Uri Savir argues this is a promising moment for the peace process. (Forward)

But Moshe Elad says the PA has neither desire nor ability to finalize agreement with Israel. (YNet News)

And Barry Rubin insists “there won’t be any comprehensive peace agreement on the horizon for many years” because “A very high standard of proof would be needed that things would be different” on the Arab side. (Jerusalem Post)

And Sarah Honig insists the high level advocates for a two-state solution cannot possibly believe any such thing is possible. (Jerusalem Post)