Word: barak
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...Well, the latest is that Barak has decided to freeze the talks after two Israelis were found killed in the West Bank. That's an indicator of how seriously both sides are taking these talks. The fact that they could be stopped because two Israelis were killed is an indicator that they are not serious in substance...
...Both sides are convinced that they cannot reach an agreement, because the gap between them is still too deep. The Palestinians are going to the talks because they don't want to be blamed as the ones who helped Ariel Sharon become prime minister of Israel. And Barak sent his negotiators because he wants to fish for a few votes from Israeli Arabs by showing that he's still talking peace. So both sides went to Taba for tactical reasons rather than to achieve a strategic goal, which is peace...
...Barak can not really afford to make an agreement right now, because the mood in Israel is strongly against trusting the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinians are saying they're going to the talks to help Barak, because the election of Sharon will be a disaster. But believe me, when Barak loses the election, you'll be calling to ask me to explain why the Palestinians are now condemning Barak...
...Could Barak be planning a surprise, in the hope of turning around his negative ratings in the polls...
...Nobody knows, not even those who sit in the next office to Barak. He's isolated himself even within his own cabinet, and certainly in the parts of his own party where many would rather see Peres running. And even his own close advisers complain he hasn't consulted them sufficiently. So if he is hoping for a peace deal to save him from defeat at the polls, nobody's betting on it. And now that there's a new administration in Washington, of course, Israelis have begun speculating about whether the American taxpayers will be prepared to foot...