Talk about proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians via a third-party may begin as early as next week - US envoy George Mitchell is now in the region. But what guarantees has the US given to the Palestinian side on the question of the continued building of settlements? It is extremely unlikely that Israel has given any meaningful guarantees. When is Abbas going to stop crawling on his knees at the beck and call of the US?
A better indication of Israeli intentions on the so-called peace process is unfortunately to be seen in the West Bank village of Luban Al Sharqiya where a mosque was attacked and burned, probably by settlers who have attacked the village on a number of occasions.
In addition, the bad faith of the Israelis is on display through the foreign ministry who say that the recent - overdue - call by the PA to boycott all Israeli goods produced on the occupied West Bank, threatens the talks. Israel is increasingly concerned by the international impact of the boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against the settler state.
Police are investigating a fire which seriously damaged a mosque in the West Bank village of Luban Al Sharqiya and which local residents say was an act of arson carried out by Jewish settlers.
Witnesses told Al Jazeera they found the mosque burned at dawn on Tuesday, when they arrived for morning prayers.
They reportedly heard a group of cars approach the mosque around 3am local time.
"The mosque has been completely burned," Majed Daraghmeh, a mosque official, told the Reuters news agency.
"I didn't see the settlers but I am certain that they did it because of their previous attacks on the village." more
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