(New Republic) Martin Peretz - The fact is that President Obama made construction in the territories the center of his peace strategy from the beginning. This put Israel in a bind. But, worst of all, it put the Palestinians in a much greater bind. They had no room to maneuver. If the president of the United States insists that new building not be done even in settlements that everyone knows will remain with Israel, how can the Palestinians palaver in any other circumstance? The Palestinians are trapped in Obama's truculence. The president also urged the Palestinian Authority to consult with the Arab League about its conundrum. The Arab League always takes a hard line. And that is what it will do this week. In fact, the League is planning to bring the matter before the UN Security Council.
2010-10-01 09:28:18Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive