"After years of stalemate, the very fact that the talks are continuing -- and, perhaps even more important, that the participants have adhered to Mr. Kerry's admonition not to disclose their content -- is something of an achievement, especially in light of the turmoil raging in the region."
During the "laying by time" of these talks, mum has been the word. Not even the location of meetings has been revealed.
"In contrast to previous rounds of Israeli-Palestinian talks, little has leaked from the negotiating room. Even the timing, location or duration of meetings has rarely been revealed. Several people close to the process said the sessions so far have alternated between Jerusalem and Jericho -- they said they were not allowed to disclose the specific locations -- and have each generally focused on a single subject, like sharing water resources, or whether Israeli or international forces should patrol the Jordan Valley."
Four people regularly attend all the meetings, Tzipi Livni, Israel's justice minister, and Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian chief negotiator, as well as Isaac Molho, a lawyer close to Mr. Netanyahu, and Mohammed Shtayyeh, a senior adviser to President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority.
Other participants join the discussions "on an ad hoc basis depending on the agenda." After the Palestinian side complained that "Mr. Kerry's special envoy, Martin S. Indyk, was not sitting in on the sessions, he has attended recent ones."
All is quiet on the negotiations front, which is what President Obama wanted. The Obama team, captained by national security adviser Rice, has been making good use of its "laying by time."
The harvest ahead will not be easy. There are extremist forces in Israel, Iran, Syria, and the U.S. Congress, that have their own reasons for wanting to upset diplomatic efforts.
Obama knows the American public is weary of war. The Bush days of shoot first and talk later, should be behind us. At least it looks that way as we hang Agee's hook on our "front porch in the terrible leisure."
Laying by time has never been easy; It has always been a pause for rest and reflection before taking up the hard work of the harvest.
The picture of President Obama speaking to the UNGA, is by Stan Honda/AFP/Getty.
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