Quotes of the Day

"I commend Prime Minister Netanyahu for taking, I think, a very constructive step. It's not easy for him to do, but I think its a signal that he is serious."

- US President Barack Obama, on his plane back to Washington

- “The Israeli government is responsible for the collapse of the negotiations because of its practices and construction in the settlements. Why aren’t they holding the Israeli government responsible, as they promised to do when they said that they would hold the party responsible for the collapse of the talks responsible?"

"They know we have a major problem in not including east Jerusalem."

- Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, lamenting the state of US mediation

"This is the test for the ministers. Are you building or surrendering? The request to renew the freeze is a trap that Israel's must not fall into."

- The Council of Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, resisting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu minutes after Washington's new offer went public

One can imagine why settlers are so upset with Netanyahu. During the 1980's and 90's, he systematically settled Israelis in the West Bank to undermine a future two-state solution.