The first direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians in two years recently launched in Washington have been hailed as constructive.

Despite fresh optimism surrounding the talks, there is a genuine concern of a breakdown. September 26 is the date the Israel moratorium on the freeze of settlements ends. It is a date marked by the Palestinians, since Israel’s willingness to resolve the conflict is being gauged by whether it will halt further settlement construction. In all likelihood it will not happen. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to concede, given his continuing stand on the issue and his government’s policy. Any concession he does make will probably be nominal and in private.
The question is that after having pressured Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to come to the table in the first place, would the U.S. allow the whole process to pack up? Abbas had previously refused to enter any negotiations unless Tel Aviv issued concrete guarantees about settlements. Thanks to U.S. pressure the Palestinians were left with no choice but to start the talks. Given they are in a weaker position but that does not mean that Washington only coerces them? How about some arm-twisting of the Israelis who have been the aggressors for the past so many decades? A Nobel peace laureate U.S. President Barack Obama must not allow Israel from jeopardizing his one great chance of achieving the ultimate peace accolade -- resolving the Mideast conflict. His sincerity in achieving this is beyond doubt but half measures that were previously witnessed on a number of accounts leaves Obama diminished in stature not to forget credibility. If the U.S. that is an “active and sustained partner” and has “pledged full support” to the talks in Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s words, dithers on keeping the pressure on Israel, then there is no point going on with the charade. The fact remains that Israel needs more sustained pressure from the U.S. and the world community to make amends for its territorial occupation and violation of Palestinian rights. It is simply not fair to subject the Palestinians to further coercion in order to bulldoze a resolution through. The good thing is that even Israel has conceded that sacrifices will have to be made by both sides. Viewed through Israel’s perspective, while this may entail more concessions from Palestinians, the fact remains that come what may, some key sacrifices will have to be made by Israel For once it has to return occupied lands, allow the return of millions of displaced Palestinians refugees and decide on the borders of a Palestinian state.
Ironically, while the two leaders discussed security for Israelis and settlement construction at the meeting, there was an eruption of violence in West Bank. A poignant reminder that peace and stability is not possible unless all Palestinian factions are on board. That seems tricky since the U.S. and Israel refuse to recognize Hamas and label it a terrorist organization. The bigger problem is with the infighting between Hamas and Fatah that must be done away with. Unless the two reconcile their differences and work together for the rights of their people, a separate state will remain an elusive dream