Chances for the resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have dwindled away after the Israeli government unveiled its decision to build 1,600 new homes for Jews in East Jerusalem.
Jewish settlement construction is the main stumbling bloc to the restart of the talks, suspended for more than two years over the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip in late 2008.
Analysts pinned much hope on an Arab League-mediated agreement that was supposed to pave the way for the resumption of at least indirect Israeli-Palestinian contacts. Now, it looks like their hopes have been frustrated. Irina Zvyagintseva of the Moscow Institute of Oriental Studies, gives her view:
"There has been much talk lately about the need to initiate at least indirect talks with a view to relaunching the peace process. But nothing came out. Regretfully, as might have been predicted, Israel continued settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories. It's really hard to bring the sides back to the negotiating table in these circumstances".
The Palestinians have reacted angrily to Israel's decision. Chief of the Palestinian National Administration Mahmoud Abbas, in a telephone conversation with the Arab League's Secretary General Amr Moussa, described it as an intentional escalation of tensions and urged the Arab world to take urgent political action.
The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the Israeli initiative. The American Vice President Joseph Biden, currently touring the Middle East, echoed that Israel's plans undermined trust that was so much needed now.
In a surprise blow to Mr. Biden's peacemaking mission, the Israeli leadership has made clear that despite its close strategic ties with Washington, American-proposed blueprints for the Middle East settlement do not always match Israel's vision of what this settlement should be like.
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