Maybe if someone with a spine like Lieberman or Feiglin were Prime Minister their might be a chance that Israel would stand firm. The way it is now Abbas knows how to play the game to win and for Israel to capitulate under pressure. Dump the losers Barak,Netanyahu,Kadima

Until now all Arab leaders, including Arafat, negotiated with Israel while there was Jewish building. Netanyahu, for unknown reasons, decided to put a one-sided stop on building Jewish homes before negotiations started. Now, the far more intelligent Abbas demands further concessions from Netanyahu before negotiations start. What concessions? A cessation of building in Har Adar, Jerusalem and Modi'in. And what will be left to negotiate? How many millions Arab immigrants Israel will accept. Who would have thought that Netanyahu would turn out to be less competent than Olmert.

How about "Halt incitement to murder before talks"?

Yeah--just demands! When is this spineless government going to stand up for our country?? Something has to be done now, look around--it will soon be too late.

we should start talks with israil without any preconditions believe me but on condition that amrica clarify the settlements issue and that israil accept to go back to 67 yaanee to give us a chance to start again we are the palistinians and we are brilliant and that is a fact.

If this fool already tells us what the outcome of those negotiations is going to be. Israel backed this fool in the corner and now he's scrambling.

I believe time has come to somebody explain to Abbas and his followers that there is a word in Hebrew for people like Abbas: "klumnik". He is a big lie and he continually makes his bravado being sure nobody will answer as we should. Abbas is nobody, he is powerless and we bought the USA illusion about he being a "peace partner", at least Hamas sincerely declare they hate us!

The so-called "two-state solution" will not work - why even try to give it legitimacy? The only possible solution is for there to be one state, with both Jews and Arabs (and anyone else) as citizens. Let the Arabs share in everything. Let them pay taxes like everyone. Let them do the army like everyone. Let them live in peace like everyone, respecting everyone's right to build communities and settlements wherever they wish. Let us all live as brothers. What's so hard about that?

than Netenyahu. Does he expect to get more than he got from Ohlmert? If he does he's nuts.

Abbas wants to win on all accounts. He wants a permanent freeze and the guarantee that a state will be created even if the negociation failed. If the negociations are based on these Arab preconditions, Arabs will not compromise at all and will create a terror state at war with Israel at the end of the process. This is totally ridiculous.

Abbas says no preconditions, and then promptly proceeds to set one. Who can believe a single word he says? Israel should set two preconditions: (i) an immediate and very public repudiation of the Fatah charter calling for the destruction of the State of Israel and the extermination/expulsion of the Jewish people and (ii) an equally immediate and very vocal announcement acknowledging the right of the State of Israel to exist in its ancient homeland with Jerusalem as its eternal, undivided capital. Absent that -- what's the point of negotiating anything? Besides, these are perfectly reasonable requests. Were Israel to articulate these simple requests, the ball will be firmly in the Palestinian court, and any foot-dragging can be laid squarely at their doorstep. Being nice hasn't worked. Let's try being tough.

The last week or two I've read about amazing developments unfolding now. Abbas' "mystery meeting" was supposedly an important one. Possible peace negotiations breakthrough, blah blah... And yet, after his meeting in Egypt he's still saying the same old stuff. At this rate August of 2025 is going to arrive and the world will still be bickering about resuming negotiations. Politics as usual, rinse and repeat as needed.

"we are brilliant" sure, thats why you people have accomplished so much in Gaza. You had all the chances to build Gaza, with all the aid money you got & still get, instead you export quasams, death threats & havoc. Brilliant, my foot !

construction on our land in Judea,Shomron and Jerusalem?

Forget about the sham-peace talks. They are a waste of time. The status quo has tomanaged. Abbas, youwant to start an intifada, go ahead. We will smash you to bits and kick you or worse. Hamas, go fire missiles, do it. Cast lead will be a walk in the park. If anyone else wants to start up, go ahead. We will unleash devastation on you cowards. Olmert is gone, and barak is soon to go replace by better generals. Abbasm go ahead make my day. Now blair and obama, don't tell us what to do. Minid your own business.

Excellent post!! Your two preconditions are spot on! Why the Israel government can’t see reason and implement these preconditions is beyond me.

LIEBERMAN IS NO AN ANGEL LIEBERMAN SAID HE SUPPORTS THE TWO STATE SOLUTION WITHOUT ANY CONDITIONS EVEN BEFORE BIBI ENDORSED IT IN BAR ILLAN THAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENT IN LAST FEBRUARY LIEBERMAN VOTED FOR THE FREEZE WITH BEGIN AND YAALON LIEBERMAN SAID HE SUPPORTS GIVING THE ARAB NEIGHBORHOOD IN JERUSALEM AND GIVING PART OF ISRAEL TO THE PA TO BE PA STATE FEIGLIN IS ALSO A PROBLEM IF HE LED THE LIKUD THE LIKUD WILL LOSE THE MODERATE VOTERS TO KADIMA AND THE RIGHT WILL LOSE THE BEST OPTION IS BIBI THE FREEZE WILL STOP IN 9 MONTHS AND HE WONT GIVE THE PA WHAT THEY GET FROM OLMERT BORDERS: 50 PERCENT OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA HE WILL ANNEX SETTLEMENT BLOCKS JUDEAN DESERT JORDAN VALLEY COMMUNITIES OVERLOOKING TEL AVIV AND BEN GURION AIRPORT JERUSALEM: UNITED CAPITAL OF ISRAEL REFUGEES : OUT OF ISRAEL LAND SWAP: I AM NOT SURE BUT MERIDOR THE DEPUTY PREMIER SAID THAT BIBI AGAINST LAND SWAP EVEN IF HE IN FAVOR HE WOULDNT GIVE THE PA LAND EGUAL TO THE 50 PERCENT ANNEXED BY HIM CONDITIONS ON AGREEMENT: RECOGNITION ISRAEL AS THE JEWISH STATE AND DEMELITRAZATION WHICH PA WILL NEVER ACCEPT BIBI IS STRONG AND THESE ARE HIS POSITIONS WHICH NEVER CHANGED AND HE TALKED ABOUT THEM MANY TIMES BEFORE THE ELECTION AND DURING OPPOSITION YEARS ALSO HE CANT SLAM THE DOOR IN THE US FACE BECAUSE HE NEEDS IT IN THE IRANIAN ISSUE SHALOM

the Israeli arabs to your country. cause Israel doesn't need Arab setelments. if you don't want jews in your stat than it will be fair that jews won't want arabs in hers.

to initiate, and to think Israel want's this despite the rockets she still getting. it just show who really want peace and who doesn't. Arabs will always find an excuse not to do things especially when it comes to peace.

to pick up scraps that falls from it's master's plate.

No negotiations until the Arabs fulfill their obligations that they made 17 years ago. Issue 1,000 building permits a day until that happens.

its their land so why build houses that you'll have to abandon?

we should stay home.

#2 is much smarter than you and he's not so bright. If you're both so smart why are you living under occupation?

The truth is Bibi has proven time and again that he canot stand up to any pressure not even from a supposed nation. He's been given enough opportunities to fail and he has proven that is just what he is. Time to find someone else and stop giving these liars the benefit of the doubt. Israel's loser leaders can't even get the supposed ally to release Jonathan Pollard from too long a stay in a US prison.

Michael Tarazy, summed it up quite well when he said: “It’s like you and I are negotiating over a piece of pizza. How much of the pizza do I get? And how much do you get? And while we are negotiating it, you are eating it!”.

My money says there will never be an agreement and the settlements stay. Israel can keep the status-quo a lot longer than people think, although I don't rule out some crazy boneheaded nations trying to remove them by force at a certain point.

#5 if you are so brilliant, you should know how to spell. Israel must continue to build Jewish neighborhoods, communities and cities in Judaea and Samaria until the "brilliant" arabs learn that they have nothing to gain by delaying cessation of terrorist acts and education.