In a Dec. 9 news analysis, Ethan Bronner, the Jerusalem bureau chief of the New York Times, takes stock of the Obama administration's self-admitted failure to get Israel and the Palestinians into fruitful, direct negotiations. ("For U.S., Concerns About Day 91 Ended Push for an Israeli 90-Day Freeze -- A White House admission of failure and an accusation to each side." page A6).While Bronner writes that an accusing finger can be pointed at both Israel and the Palestinian Authority for Team Obama having to go back to the drawing boards, his analysis doesn't deliver any convincing evidence for such a conclusion.  The only presumed Israeli misstep Bronner is able to summon is that when direct talks finally began in September, the Israelis "engaged in little substance" -- i.e. the Israelis had an agenda of their own.  Surprise, surprise!!But this hardly matches the blow delivered to U.S. mediating efforts by Mahmoud Abbas. who waited nine months...(Read Full Post)