A pity that this has spread across 3-4 fora/forums.
I'll reiterate: the Israeli Cabinet emphatically did NOT accept the "road map"; it accepted "steps defined by the road map" - altogether diferent, and demanded over a dozen alterations.
Politics and time-wasting: no more.

Originally posted by Estragon

Politics and time-wasting: no more.

Or the plan could have already been totally accepted by both sides in some form and they're now presenting it to the people of Israel and Palestine.
It's very doubtful that the Israeli govenment could present a plan to it's people that gives away some concessions without a major backlash from some sections of it's society without softening them up first.
They have to be seen to be bargaining.

Exactly the same premise could work for the Palestinian government.

and "sides" and "government" are synonymous?? There is no Palestine -whereof do you speak?

LOL! Good catch, Estragon! As one of the loudest screamers for historical truth and proper wording, it shames me to say I did not see Leveller's blunder and had to reread the whole thread to find it.

Continue to teach, sir, I shall continue to take notes, as so should the rest of the class.

Originally posted by Estragon
and "sides" and "government" are synonymous?? There is no Palestine -whereof do you speak?

A mere figure of speech.
By sides and government I refer to the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government.
By Palestine, I mean the area that will, in the future be handed over to the Palestinain Authority.

But if you also look at it as a done deal as I suspect, your statement that there is no Palestine is nullified. It could be there. We just can't see it.

Are you saying that it has already been approved as a down deal in the smoke-filled backrooms of thepower brokers?

Who knows!!!!
It's entirely possible ain't it?

I'm just looking at the situation from another angle. I'm not saying that it's a fact. All I'm pointing out is that I can see benefits for the participants to have handled it that way.

Well, apparently Abbas has - quite rightly, in my opinion -called it off.
Always to be expected. I mean how many times has this farce been repeated?

And now sit back and watch talks about talks, postponements, more killing on both sides, and nothing happening save that everyone carries on as before and has someone else to blame- and a great many UN resolutions fade even further into obscurity.
The "done deal" on this as in all of these "meetings" is that nothing will ever occur to cause Israel to give up very much of anything.