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| Jewish State Declaration Is Unyielding Block to a Deal | Jewish State Declaration Is Unyielding Block to a Deal |
| (6 months later) | |
| WASHINGTON — With time running out before an April 29 diplomatic deadline and no signs of progress in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, President Obama on Monday warned President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority that “we’re going to have to take some tough political decisions and risks if we’re able to move it forward.” | |
| But Mr. Abbas, speaking before a meeting in the Oval Office, made clear that he was no closer to uttering the words that are a litmus test for the Israelis: that he recognizes Israel as a Jewish state. | But Mr. Abbas, speaking before a meeting in the Oval Office, made clear that he was no closer to uttering the words that are a litmus test for the Israelis: that he recognizes Israel as a Jewish state. |
| “Since 1988, we have recognized international legitimacy resolutions” on Israel, Mr. Abbas said as Mr. Obama looked on, a hand on his chin. “And in 1993, we recognized the State of Israel.” | “Since 1988, we have recognized international legitimacy resolutions” on Israel, Mr. Abbas said as Mr. Obama looked on, a hand on his chin. “And in 1993, we recognized the State of Israel.” |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the Palestinians go further and recognize Israel as a nation-state for the Jewish people in order to get a peace deal. Mr. Abbas has flatly refused, and his comments on Monday suggested he had gone as far as he would. | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the Palestinians go further and recognize Israel as a nation-state for the Jewish people in order to get a peace deal. Mr. Abbas has flatly refused, and his comments on Monday suggested he had gone as far as he would. |
| That leaves Mr. Obama and his secretary of state, John Kerry, in a tight spot just six weeks before the deadline that Mr. Kerry initially set for a peace treaty. Mr. Kerry has since scaled back expectations, saying that April 29 was a deadline for a framework accord that would guide the final negotiations. But even the fallback goal looks elusive. | That leaves Mr. Obama and his secretary of state, John Kerry, in a tight spot just six weeks before the deadline that Mr. Kerry initially set for a peace treaty. Mr. Kerry has since scaled back expectations, saying that April 29 was a deadline for a framework accord that would guide the final negotiations. But even the fallback goal looks elusive. |
| The Israelis and Palestinians continue to disagree over several other core issues. Mr. Abbas reiterated the Palestinian demand that East Jerusalem be the capital of a Palestinian state. With so much in dispute, analysts said, the focus on both sides has shifted from bridging gaps to avoiding blame should the talks fail. | The Israelis and Palestinians continue to disagree over several other core issues. Mr. Abbas reiterated the Palestinian demand that East Jerusalem be the capital of a Palestinian state. With so much in dispute, analysts said, the focus on both sides has shifted from bridging gaps to avoiding blame should the talks fail. |
| Mr. Obama, who met with Mr. Netanyahu two weeks ago, made no direct reference to the deadline. But he praised Mr. Abbas and reiterated his version of a peace agreement that the Palestinians could embrace: a Palestinian state, based on borders before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, adjusted to account for Jewish settlements in the West Bank. | Mr. Obama, who met with Mr. Netanyahu two weeks ago, made no direct reference to the deadline. But he praised Mr. Abbas and reiterated his version of a peace agreement that the Palestinians could embrace: a Palestinian state, based on borders before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, adjusted to account for Jewish settlements in the West Bank. |
| That, combined with the challenging tone that Mr. Obama took toward Israel in a recent interview with the Bloomberg View columnist Jeffrey Goldberg, has led to speculation that the White House is trying to right the balance after a State Department-led effort that dwelt on issues that are of greater concern to Israel, like security. | That, combined with the challenging tone that Mr. Obama took toward Israel in a recent interview with the Bloomberg View columnist Jeffrey Goldberg, has led to speculation that the White House is trying to right the balance after a State Department-led effort that dwelt on issues that are of greater concern to Israel, like security. |
| “In this Middle Eastern version of Kremlinology, the tone has shifted,” said Daniel C. Kurtzer, a former ambassador to Israel and Egypt. “Some of this may be the way the political wind is blowing. Some of it may reflect that they’ve reached a conclusion they need to rebalance.” | “In this Middle Eastern version of Kremlinology, the tone has shifted,” said Daniel C. Kurtzer, a former ambassador to Israel and Egypt. “Some of this may be the way the political wind is blowing. Some of it may reflect that they’ve reached a conclusion they need to rebalance.” |
| Even with the change in tone, however, analysts questioned whether Mr. Obama would take concrete steps that would antagonize Israel, especially with the West about to embark on another round of nuclear negotiations with Iran and amid deepening tensions over Ukraine. | Even with the change in tone, however, analysts questioned whether Mr. Obama would take concrete steps that would antagonize Israel, especially with the West about to embark on another round of nuclear negotiations with Iran and amid deepening tensions over Ukraine. |
| “Now that he’s locked into this awful conflict with Putin, I find it anomalous that he would open another front with Netanyahu,” said Aaron David Miller, a former peace negotiator and vice president at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. | “Now that he’s locked into this awful conflict with Putin, I find it anomalous that he would open another front with Netanyahu,” said Aaron David Miller, a former peace negotiator and vice president at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. |
| Speaking to reporters after the meeting on Monday, the chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said the Palestinians saw no point in negotiating beyond the April deadline, and that now was a time for decisions. | Speaking to reporters after the meeting on Monday, the chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said the Palestinians saw no point in negotiating beyond the April deadline, and that now was a time for decisions. |
| There is another, more imminent, date that could jeopardize the process. Israel promised in July that it would free 104 Palestinian prisoners in four batches, and the last release date is March 29. Some Israeli officials warned that Mr. Netanyahu would not carry out the release unless the talks were extended. Going ahead with the release would “give a very solid impression about the seriousness of these efforts to achieve peace,” Mr. Abbas said. | There is another, more imminent, date that could jeopardize the process. Israel promised in July that it would free 104 Palestinian prisoners in four batches, and the last release date is March 29. Some Israeli officials warned that Mr. Netanyahu would not carry out the release unless the talks were extended. Going ahead with the release would “give a very solid impression about the seriousness of these efforts to achieve peace,” Mr. Abbas said. |
| The White House did not expect Mr. Abbas to reverse his position on recognizing Israel as a Jewish state in the Monday meetings, said a senior administration official. But he said that Mr. Obama was looking for some signs of flexibility from Mr. Abbas. | The White House did not expect Mr. Abbas to reverse his position on recognizing Israel as a Jewish state in the Monday meetings, said a senior administration official. But he said that Mr. Obama was looking for some signs of flexibility from Mr. Abbas. |
| “When you get down to the final stages, you get to the core issues of identity,” the official said on the condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the talks. The framework would set general terms on issues like Israeli security and the borders of a Palestinian state, which the two sides would use to come to a comprehensive agreement. Some analysts said the United States was drafting alternative documents — one robust and detailed, the other less so — as it tried to find a recipe acceptable to both sides. | “When you get down to the final stages, you get to the core issues of identity,” the official said on the condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the talks. The framework would set general terms on issues like Israeli security and the borders of a Palestinian state, which the two sides would use to come to a comprehensive agreement. Some analysts said the United States was drafting alternative documents — one robust and detailed, the other less so — as it tried to find a recipe acceptable to both sides. |
| On a logistical level, however, with Mr. Kerry locked in feverish diplomacy with Russia over Ukraine, it is not clear how much time he will be able to devote to Middle East horse-trading between now and the end of April. | On a logistical level, however, with Mr. Kerry locked in feverish diplomacy with Russia over Ukraine, it is not clear how much time he will be able to devote to Middle East horse-trading between now and the end of April. |
| The frustration of months of fruitless talks has begun to show in Mr. Kerry. Testifying before the House last week, he noted that the United Nations had recognized Israel as a Jewish state, as did Yasir Arafat, the former leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization. | The frustration of months of fruitless talks has begun to show in Mr. Kerry. Testifying before the House last week, he noted that the United Nations had recognized Israel as a Jewish state, as did Yasir Arafat, the former leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization. |
| “I think it’s a mistake for some people to be raising it again and again as the critical decider of their attitude toward the possibility of a state and peace,” Mr. Kerry said. | “I think it’s a mistake for some people to be raising it again and again as the critical decider of their attitude toward the possibility of a state and peace,” Mr. Kerry said. |