[Washington Post] Glenn Kessler - U.S. officials insist they are making slow but steady progress behind the scenes. But the pressure on Israel to halt settlement expansion has generated a backlash there against the U.S., while no Arab states have publicly revealed what they are prepared to do. Meanwhile, the Palestinians have hardened their position, refusing to talk to Jerusalem unless there is a settlement freeze. Saudi officials have privately been highly critical of the U.S. approach - even rejecting appeals from Obama when he visited Riyadh - but visiting Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal's decision to offer such a public critique, in Washington, raises the stakes for the administration.
2009-08-03 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive