Israel Matzav: Arab foreign ministers make a gutsy move (not)

Arab foreign ministers make a gutsy move (not)

You could see this one coming a mile away. Arab foreign ministers have withdrawn their approval for the 'proximity talks.'

The Palestinian Authority daily Al-Ayyam reports that in response to Israel's decision to construct 1,600 housing units in northern Jerusalem, several Arab foreign ministers informed senior U.S. elements that the Arab Monitoring Committee had rescinded its approval for indirect Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas demanded that the Arabs respond urgently to Israel's "dangerous" move, which he said would torpedo negotiations.

A gutsy move would have meant telling Abu Mazen that either he compromises (and that they will support those compromises) or he gets nothing. Sadly, no one in these parts can remember the last time Abu Mazen or the Arab foreign ministers did anything of the sort.

What could go wrong?

UPDATE THURSDAY 12:01 AM

Israel Radio just reported that this was not Arab Foreign Ministers but an Arab League monitoring committee that recommended to the foreign ministers that they withdraw support from the talks.

Israel Matzav: Arab foreign ministers make a gutsy move (not)