The Israelis, pushed by the Obama administration into talking peace with the Palestinians, seem to be having second thoughts. Over the past few days, Israeli leaders have been signalling their displeasure with the Direct Talks, initiated by President Barack Obama at the White House on Thursday.
It is not a secret that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced into these talks, for which he set so many conditions.
Now the Israelis seem to want to get out. Extremist Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman says the negotiations are creating "too many expectations" and that peace is "unattainable".
He says his fanatical Yisrael Beitenu party will block any attempt to extend a partial moratorium on colony construction, due to expire on September 26.
The Palestinians have warned that failure to extend the 10-month freeze on most colony construction in the West Bank outside occupied East Jerusalem would jeopardise peace talks.
Yesterday, the Israeli government said it would resume the construction of colonies in the Occupied Territories, claiming that this "does not compromise" a potential deal with the Palestinians.
On Sunday, Israel launched deadly aerial strikes against Gaza, provoking anger and further resentment. The attacks could very well lead to an expanded conflict that will end the peace talks.
Israel has also deployed large numbers of troops on the Lebanese border. Last month, Israeli tried to provoke the Lebanese army by trespassing into Lebanese territory to cut down a tree that hindered Israel's ability to install a spy camera across the border.
Israel is obviously not interested in peace. It has been forced into direct negotiations which, according to the official Quartet statement, should lead to full Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands occupied in 1967.
Israel has always rejected this principle. The danger today is that in its efforts to get out of the peace talks ‘trap', Israel might very well spark a regional war that would definitely bury the last of hopes in this region of achieving a just and lasting peace.
