Hot off the Israeli presses:

          Israel4:49pm via itweetlive

PM Netanyahu Calls on Abbas to Continue “Sincere Talks” http://bit.ly/co1QLC

The above comes straight off of my Twitter feed (really, folks, it's a beautiful thing - especially for news). The link? To "Israel Politik: The Political Blog of the State of Israel." ...and, unfortunately, to unabashed propaganda, in this case via totally failing to note the expiration of the settlement moratorium.

In the mean time, US envoys hie it across the world to see what they can do to "salvage" matters. Bon voyage, Mitchell, and may the force be with you - you'll need it.

Back in Carlisle, taking note of: 

a.As noted in the VOA article, Netanyahu risks losing support of the more conservative members of his government and the Knessent - a coalition government, at that. Potential significance: the dropping out of even one party with a relatively small number of seats in a coalition government can mean mass chaos, giving them more sway than they perhaps deserve. Thus my research paper. Woot. 

b.Abbas consulting with PLO and the Arab League - as noted in class. The lack of a unified Palestinian government, of course, requires that he assure himself of some international backing, even ignoring the "Arab Nationalism" factor of this. Sometimes - dare I say often - necessity plays an even larger role than ideology. ...and

c. Compliments of the VOA article, a thought from DOS spokesman Crowley: "The process is important. It's vital. As the parties themselves know, absent these direct negotiations, Israel does not get the security that it needs and deserves, and the Palestinians do not get that state that they want and deserve. So one way or another, the parties have to find a way to continue direct negotiations." .... 1.Interesting: Israel "needs and deserves," Palestinians "want and deserve"... not need? Freudian slip, or consciously done? and 2.These factors are not new. Thus the term "impasse," unfortunately.

...but, in all sincerity, I wish the diplomats the best of luck. It may be wishful thinking, but I suppose the very essence of that is that one can always wish, if nothing else.... and that should count for something. Not much, perhaps, but something.