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Source: http://www.cityam.com/276106/israel-has-voted-dose-reality-comes-peace-process
A Dose of Reality on the Peace Process
(City A.M.-UK) Alan Mendoza - There is no longer a peace process worthy of the name that an Israeli leader can endorse with any credibility. The story of the negotiations of the past quarter-century has been one of constant and increasing Israeli concessions in an attempt to get the Palestinians over the line of peace, and Palestinian rejectionism in response. The last time a major deal was presented - in 2008 when Ehud Olmert offered up the keys to Jerusalem - the Palestinians did not even deign to provide a formal reply. It is not hard to understand why. The pattern of negotiations has shown a ratchet effect, with each new round starting from where the previous failed negotiation ended. For a Palestinian, waiting it out to the next deal therefore becomes a very tempting proposition. At the same time, the Palestinians have been unable to negotiate national unity themselves, so the idea that they could reach agreement with Israel - even if they wanted to - is remote. The writer is executive director of the Henry Jackson Society.