RAMALLAH, West Bank — Something is happening with the Middle East conflict. A breakthrough appears at hand, though all the parties still seem to be clinging to their traditional positions.
The Arab League gave the go-ahead to indirect Palestinian-Israeli talks, and the various Palestinian leadership forums have approved the resumption of talks. Even the usually boisterous Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat has toned down his rhetoric, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gave an optimistic interview to Israel TV.
But Israel has not publicly agreed to the U.S. and Palestinian request to rescind settlement construction in Jerusalem approved during U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's recent visit to Israel. On the contrary, Israeli officials, denying Palestinians' assertion that a secret U.S.-Israel agreement exists, clearly intend to continue building Jewish homes in occupied East Jerusalem. So what's going on?