Top U.S. officials: Mideast peace talks have hit impasse

HELLO! The truth is that, for starters, the Arabs, later PLO and Hamas have NEVER agreed to accepting Israel, and their charters call for Israel's elimination to this day. Abbas recently and sarcastically reiterated that he will never recognize Israel. Who can negotiate with an opponent who will not recognize you, and wants you to fold first to boot before anything starts? C'mon get real. The int'l community did recognize Israel because it built a nation even before 1947. Pals have not. The 1947-49 experience was a defensive war, not one "carried out by Israel" as you say. You believe the Arab narrative. Borders get re-carved due to war, and populations migrate, always have and always will. Remember that you are on "stolen" land as we speak. Are you prepared to leave back to England? I think not. Time for them to act and not by tired old intifada. How about negotiating? Or do you expect the Israelis just to fold before negotiations start?

Obama has thrown himself supine before his master Netanyahu.

The effort for some months has been to try and shift the blame from Stonewall Netanyahu to the hapless Abbas. Israel has chosen to have another uprising. Congratulations Bibi on your victory.

D: "How About Abbas Offering Something... Anything??" He is offering Israel clear title to all territory between the 1947 Partition Plan lines and the 1967 Armistice Lines. Or, in short, he is offering to legitimize the acquistion of territory by war that was carried out by Israel during 1948-49. And since the acquistion of territory by war is quite illegal you'd have to say that this offer from the PLO is exceptionally generous. Cuts no ice with you though, does it.....

e: "would negotiations make any difference with netanyahu in power?" Yeah, it would make a big difference to Netanyahu. If Abbas agreed to negotiate even as construction continued then Netanyahu would pounce on that as a Palestinian "agreement" that construction is legitimate. He would then double, triple, or quadruple construction, and if anyone complains he'd say - with a straight face, no less - that "Abbas has already OKed this!". And if Abbas complained then Netanyahu would have the chutzpah to claim that the Palestinians were "reneging on an agreement".

if it really agrees to a 2-state solution? Surely it's just money down the drain and a big strain on the economy, for homes that will have to be vacated? And adds to the mega problem of what to do with half a million settlers, most of whom will have to return to Israel (or live as future Palestinian citizens)? Makes no sense at all. Unless of course Israel is just speaking with a forked tongue again. Saying it will slow settlements for 9 months, while building surreptitiously at the same time (as has been embarrassingly reported) and continuing with its real objective of creating, via settlements, a Jewish-dominated Greater Israel. The settler enterprise denies a 2-state solution, as everyone but Clinton is aware. Abbas is smart to take his stand on this pivotal issue, because it is the real litmus test of Israel's honesty or card sharping.

It's like the Fawlty Towers scene "Don't mention the war". Only in this case it's "don't mention the split". Just pretend the Palestinians are one united group and everything will be ok. The reality is that Roadmap was finished the moment Hamas attacked and subjugated Fatah in Gaza. In effect one third of the Palestinian people opted out of the process and demanded to be treated differently. What is amazing is that many people in this forum just ignore what has happened in Gaza and expect the Roadmap process to carry on with (West Bank) Palestinians unhindered.

"the UN is a biased political organization, controlled by the Arab majority" Really, John? The UN comprises 22 Arab nations and 170 others. So Arabs account for just 11% of the whole, there is no "Arab majority" as you claim. Ethnic extremist parties have a long and dishonourable history of peddling made-up grievances like this one against contrived ethnic 'foes', John. Jews should know that better than anyone. The trick is to check the facts before swallowing and regurgitating their nonsense.

The Palestinians may have missed many opportunities in the past, but not talking to the current Israeli government is not not a missed opportunity. There is absolutely nothing to gain by talking to a gang of right wing religious fanatics.

Nobody who knows anything about the Middle East thinks the Pals are the problem. Everybody can see that Israel is more interested in stealing land than in having peace. Even Americans, in increasing numbers are beginning to understand that. Eventually Israel will have to withdraw from the West Bank or give the Pals Israeli citizenship. They can't keep the Pals in captivity forever.

I can't hear the word "negotiations" anymore. In Jah kingdom is nothing to negotiate. Neither the law of our God nor the judgement of the Lord. What does it mean for you jews : Barukh atah Adonai rofe chole amo Israel. Do you know what this means ? All moslems and jews got the same God. And we all have to fear him, cause many are not able to love our creator. And we have to become brothers and sisters , now ! This is the law and the fullfilment of the prophets. This is the day when we built the temple. The UN Headquarter in Jerusalem. And then we rule the world with the laws of our God. This is the 3rd temple. And Elohim will be very glad. Glad in Avraham , that all sons of Ismael and Isaac , become a great family.

We've seen this movie before, the talks go nowhere, the settlements double, Bibi uses the talks as a figleaf to deflect international criticism while working industriously towards his real goal of Greater Israel. We're not playing the game this time. Just about every Palestinian I know under 40 is ready to go One State Solution. Obama was the last hope for partitioning the land, but he's caved. So let's just cut the malarky and start preparing for Israpal.

opportunity to miss an opportunity." It was true forty years ago and remains to true to this day, as it will remain true for this dysfunctional group.

The International Court in the Hague have ruled the settlements "illegal". So here we have the criminals, backed by the US, calling the Palestinians "the problem". It's a rotten world.

even after pals general election set to January 10 . PA will resume talks after pals general election . If Abbas resume now talks with Netanyahu before pals general election and in spite of the ongoing insignificant construction*, Hamas would trumpet Abbas weakness and further diminish Fatah's chances in the upcoming elections. So to counter his Hamas rivals, Fatah exploite militant rhetoric against the U.S and against Israel . * insignificant construction: compare to the 30.000 arab homes that Abbas plan to build and compare to the multitude of illegal arab homes issue that the mainstream medias keeps out of spotlite .

This endless drama is as productive as trying to argue with an impetuous teenager. Abbas sits back and waits for more offers. Where is the creativity on the Palestinian side? Can anyone remember when anything besides demands on Israel have been made? Now it's the fault of the US - yeah, that's the ticket!

Shalom: In yesterday's Ma'ariv there's an interview with PA Chairman Abu Mazen, and the quote plastered on the front page is: "Bibi Is Harming The Peace Process?" This is obviously a lie. But it's also obviously unfeasible for Abbas to state the true reason. The reason there is no peace process with the Palestinians is that the Palestinians themselves are a house divided against itself. The Hamas / Fatah split between Gaza and The West Bank is like a body whose upper half has been severed from the lower. Not viable. But this has nothing to do with anything for which Israel is responsible. The impasse over beginning peace negotiations is solely caused by the Hamas Fatah (Gaza/West Bank) split. The split paralyzes and emasculates any logical effort to achieve a Palestinian state. So negotiations aiming toward such a Palestinian state are meaningless. No point whatsoever. The result can be nothing but a miscarriage. Of course no Palestinian leader could admit this in a million years. Only the aging and dotty Hosni Mubarak actually believes Gaza and the West Bank will ever be reunited. There is no chance that Gaza and the West Bank will ever be reunited. So the point is there will just never be a viable peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. The peace process the US administration is promoting now is nothing but the Emperor's New Clothes. You know, the King believes his tailors have dressed him in the most dignified finery ? but he is stark raving nude. All the best, yonatan

You keep holding on to those principals for a "it ain't ever gonna happen" moment. Hold them dearly for a perfect agreement, but keep in mind while you do, as the Palestinians always have, your people will remain as the the longest running "refugee" comunity ever - 60+ years and still "refugees". All the while the Arab countries do absolutely nothing for them, but they sure back you and your principals. Hold on to them while a far larger number of Jewish refugees from Arab lands have long since been resettled and lead rich fulfilling productive lives. Don't talk Mr. Abbas. Blame Bibi. Blame Obama. Blame the Jews... Keep shooting for just the right pre-conditions at just the right moment... Hold your head high and keep the conflict brewing for the benefit of your Arab neighbors while you remain the proud leader of a people without a state. So go ahead Mr. Abbas, keep on allowing the perfect to be the enemy of the good. It has always worked so well for you.

... but when has it been otherwise, since the reign of the present coalition...?!

bibi would be playing the exact same game that he's playing now; with the exact same results. abbas knows that, and has no inclination to dance on netanyahu's strings. refusing to negotiate is the best choice for him to make.

Don't know if she went rogue, but it looks like Hillary tossed US credibility under the bus, right along with Abbas and almost, if not all, of Obama's overtures to the Arab and Muslim world. This will affect not just the Israel Palestine theatre, but also Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Iran nuke negotiations. Hope Bibi thinks its worth it. He's still not likely to get a US war against Iran. But he might get Iran to stiffen its spine against the US on the nuke negotiations. Who knows if anything can be salvaged?

Obama has been learning on the job. First, he was highly disappointed from the Arabs states that did not show any gesture towards Israel after his outrageous initiative about the settlements. Second, after the UN has endorsed the Goldstone report he figures that the UN is a biased political organization, controlled by the Arab majority who want to see the destruction of the Jewish state, something they failed to do in wars. Third, Obama got tired of Abbas who setup pre-conditions, something that no one else has done before, threatening US broker to listen to him or else, he probably forgot he has no power at all.

Of course Obama has reneged on all his promises to the Palestinian people of a just solution in the ME, and he can talk all he likes about world and state compliance with International Law and the Geneva Conventions, but when he makes an exception of Israel, then for sure the Islamic world will take on board the message and respond in kind - probably in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan!

both sides know they will have to make serious concessions in real negotiations, and they would rather hold on to the illusions they sustain in the six decade old confrontation. Israel thinks it can keep expanding and developing, while the Palestinians still retain illusions of returning to the pre independance mandate. wake up fellows. both sides have to give in to reality already, and both will have to concede a lot of their illusions.

In Phase I, 1- The Palestinians immediately undertake an unconditional cessation of violence. (Done) 2-Israel withdraws from Palestinian areas occupied from September 28, 2000. (Pending) 3- The two sides restore the status quo that existed at that time, as security performance and cooperation progress. (smoothly running) 4-Gov of Israel immediately dismantles settlement outposts erected since March 2001. (Pending) 5- Consistent with Mitchell Report,Israel freezes all settlement activity (including natural growth of settlements). US Backed and closed her eyes for the sake of freedom of the free world and fairness seeking more blood shed. Peace Now You Greedy. Abu Samra with real "Love and Peace". J-Post Peace Lover, "One Not Double standard".

If Abbas doesn't stand his ground this time he is done for with the Palestinians. We are in no hurry to discuss any kind of peace which only benefits Israel, thanks all the same! We've been there before!

damaging his own messages to the muslim world. That will cost the american President and the US heavily, and I hope he realizes that before its too late and the ship is sinking already.

Israel makes concessions and works out it's differences with the US. Abbas just says the same thing over and over again -- NO, NO, NO! No compromise, no negotiation, no peace. Maybe this will be a learning experience for Obama so that he sees with whom he is really dealing in the Arab world. How much longer will Obama take Abbas' insulting behavior?

if the settlements is the major sticking point, why not resume negotiations and make that the first and only item til it is resolved? apparently the Palestinians want to negotiate in the media, and are afraid of the real concessions to reality they themselves will have to make. am yisrael chai.

A break-through must be imminent.

"A source in the Prime Minister's Office said the Palestinians were clearly the problem, adding that there was full agreement between Israel and the United States." Bibi defies Obama, and (a) he's a principled, courageous hero (b) Obama folds like a cheap pack of cards (c) Hillary acts as Bibi's Bitch. Abbas defies Obama, and he's "clearly the problem". Israeli arrogance, writ large..... It is a sad reflection on American politics that the powerless leader of a stateless people is still more willing to stand up to Netanyahu than is the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth.

The USA scuttled the peace talks. It destroyed any perception of impartiality. The USA's submissive approach on the settlements and the Goldstone Report demonstrated Obama and Hillary were not after Middle East peace. The USA is more interested in scoring the perception of a political victory. That is why Hillary is now doing a spin on the settlements.

Sounds like temper tantrum time again. The Palestinians will resume violence, lose even more, throw away whatever economic improvements have been made in the West Bank, then scream yet again they got the short end of the stick.

It's not a peace treaty with Israel that Palestinians wish. They wish to drive a wedge between Israel and the United States and other Western countries. They wish to bring Israel down by western sanctions and boycotts of Israel more than they wish any peace treaty. That's what Goldstone is about. That's what the stuborness on a freeze is about. The US is telling Palestinians it's not going to happen. The only hope for a genuine 2 state solution is the Arabs knowing that the West is solidly behind Israel and will not bring it down. Israel has negotiated under Palestinian fire and Palestinians can negotiate with some construction.

"special relationship" with Israel. President Obama is being ridiculed, the "N" word is invoked constantly, and he is attacked by Israeli jerks. He knows that the U.S. has financed the zionazis since the terrorist birth of Israel. I personally wouldn't waste my spit on Nutanyahu and Limburger. Salaam/Shalom

"we have encountered preconditions demanded by the Palestinian side, which were never demanded before" Is Netanyahu so deluded that he believes this tripe or does he think the rest of the world is so stupid he can say even the most obvious, bizarre lies and convince anyone? The Palestinians and all of the world have been demanding an end to the settlements for 40 years, How can anyone believe that these demands have never been made before? He might as well say that, for the first time, the sun will rise in the East tomorrow. Netanyahu is nothing but a propagandist. Obama and Clinton have destroyed all US credibility be pretending that the morally naked Netanyahu is wearing the fine clothes of a peacemaker. He is a man totally devoid of integrity and decency and all the world but "they who will not see" can see it. By putting moral blinders on, Obama and Clinton have disgraced the US and reduced the chance of a just peace.

It is impossible for the Palestinian to make a deal peace with Israel without the approval of Syria. The Palestinian people have only a minimal percentage to make a decision when it comes to statue of Jerusalem in the eyes of the Moslem?s world. The wisdom for Israel to bypass the spotlight on its natural growth by building settlements is by coming up with an idea about the statue of Jerusalem that pleases the Moslem?s world. But, I agree without any hesitation with Netanyahu when he once addressed the Moslem?s world saying that they should stop teaching their children to hate their cousins, the Jews. How could Israel give in to a peace deal with their cousins whose agenda is to wipe them out?

Let's face it, this cruel occupation has gone on for so long ONLY because it is supported for decades by this great democracy of ours the USA. It will end ONLY when America decides it will.

The Palestinians thought Israel would be obligated to the US and Quartet to follow the Roadmap. But now that is Roadmap is road kill, they're upset. And the US looks the fool for trying to spin stuff to look like Israel lying to the US and Palestinians is something good. US credibility is damaged, not only with the Palestinians, but throughout the Arab & Muslim world. Way to go. Just think how that impacts US negotiations with Iran & North Korea. Israel has proved to the world that the US can be lied to with impunity. It doesn't hurt Israeli credibility nearly as much since Israel doesn't negotiate with many countries and hardly ever with adversaries.

All Obama wants is to make deal with Iran without appearing to abandon Israel. So he will continue to "accept" Israeli preconditions and non-coopearation, even as he signals to Iran his acceptability of Iran's nuke. If Israeli politics follows its traditional route, Netanyahu will soon be replaced by Livni for one reason or another - at which point the peace process will automatically resume.