Peace Deal

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday that a "daring" peace initiative by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is vital to his country's security and international standing, and that without one, Israel could face increased isolation and mass popular protests. His comments came as Netanyahu embarks on a diplomatic mission Thursday to the United States, though American and Israeli officials alike have sought to lower expectations that the visit would lead to a breakthrough restarting of U.S.-brokered peace talks.

Former Sen. George J. Mitchell is resigning as the Obama administration's special envoy for Middle East peace after a two-year effort failed to advance Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, White House officials said. Mitchell, acclaimed for his success in sealing a peace deal in Northern Ireland, began this mission optimistically but recently came to the conclusion that serious negotiations were a distant prospect and there was no need for him to continue, associates said. He had not visited the region since December.

Palestinian leaders Sunday rejected a report by Al Jazeera television network that they had agreed in 2008 to cede most of disputed East Jerusalem and to make other major concessions in an unsuccessful bid to win statehood. Citing documents that it called the "Palestine Papers," the Arab television outlet quoted minutes from a Jan. 15, 2008, meeting involving then-U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Korei.

Terrorist mind-set Re "Suicide bomber kills 45 in Pakistan," Dec. 26 How sad that on Christmas Day, a misguided insurgent killed at least 45 people and injured more waiting in a food line in Pakistan. Certainly, I am far ? both in mental and physical distance ? from understanding the twisted minds of such attackers, but it hurts nonetheless. Those killed and injured were innocent bystanders and human beings like myself. They were trying to survive in a hostile environment they call home.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that the Obama administration would continue to pursue an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal despite the failure of its central strategy, and it intends to do so by pushing hard on both sides. Clinton, facing growing skepticism about the administration's ability to make progress toward peace, said the United States would "push the parties to grapple with the core issues. " "The United States will not be a passive participant," she told Israeli and Palestinian officials and others gathered at the annual Saban Forum in Washington.

The Obama administration's abandonment of a failed strategy for Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking has sparked a debate within the White House about what kind of approach ? and how much energy ? America's overbooked national security team should put into the Middle East effort. The focus of that debate sharpened Thursday as top officials jockeyed to shape a highly anticipated policy speech that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will make Friday night. Some officials say her speech should be ringing but largely devoid of details.

A new measure potentially requiring Israel to receive public approval before surrendering land in any Middle East peace deal came under fire Tuesday for setting a legal precedent that could undermine the government and further complicate negotiations. Israel's conservative-majority Knesset, or parliament, adopted the controversial legislation late Monday after a heated debate. Passage was seen by many as an effort by right-wing parties to put the brakes on future peace deals with the Palestinians or Syrians by making it harder for Israel to give up land it seized during the 1967 Middle East War and later annexed.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders 11 times in three Middle Eastern cities last week, a diplomatic marathon that produced only promises that the adversaries remain committed to the latest U.S.-led peace initiative. Clinton couldn't extract the result she needs: that the two sides put aside their differences over Jewish construction in the occupied West Bank and move on. "All of this is complicated," Clinton acknowledged at the end of a disappointing week.

Israelis have seen it before. A hawkish leader expected to be tough on the Palestinian issue instead embarks on a game-changing path to end the conflict. Menachem Begin did it. So did Yitzhak Rabin. Ariel Sharon split apart his right-wing Likud Party by withdrawing from the Gaza Strip. Now, with the second round of new peace talks set to open Tuesday, Israelis are wondering whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a tough-talking longtime critic of the peace process, is preparing to be the next to seek a deal with the Palestinians, or whether he is going through the motions to appease the U.S. so that he won't be blamed for the collapse of the Washington-brokered talks.