The many efforts to bring Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate their differences have always ended with the U.S. finding the Palesinians responsible for their failure. This time it looks like it is the Israelis who are being found wanting.

The talks have almost certainly ended, and someone on the U.S. negotiating team (perhaps its lead, Martin Indyk) has given an interview to YNET, an Israeli 24/7 news outlet. In the interview, the American places the major responsibility for failure on Israel's continuing approval of building permits for new settlements, some of which were issued at critical moments in the negotiations.

With John Kerry some weeks back using the word "apartheid" to characterize Israel's future and then back pedaling. With this interview and the views expressed (about which there will probably be some back pedaling), perhaps the iron grip of Netanyahu on U.S. support is beginning to slip.

The YNET Interview.  So far no mention, that I've seen, in the U.S. press.

Margaret O’Brien Steinfels is a former editor of Commonweal. 

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