It is hoped that less politically incendiary issues that are of equal significance to the Palestinians will be conceded, quietly by the Israelis. For example: "a new Palestinian city waiting to be built needs Israeli agreement for a key access road and that will probably now come, they [the Israelis] said; more roadblocks and checkpoints can be removed and more responsibility handed over to Palestinian security forces" (Bronner 2010:1).
The Administration is still engaged in active talks with the Palestinians and the Israelis and is hopeful that negotiations will soon resume. The Administration is striving to be a neutral force and a broker between these two historical enemies. One hopeful sign is the fact that the Israelis state that the relationship with the Administration is good, and Palestinians have not entirely ruled out talks, even if the settlements...
However, while relationships are not at a historical low point, they are still at an impasse, and progress is likely to be slow. The Palestinians have also hinted that they may seek recognition as an independent state if no concessions are made, and two states have already granted the Palestinians such recognition: Argentina and Brazil.
If more nations recognize the Palestinian state, it is uncertain how this will affect future negotiations: whether it will empower the Palestinians or enrage the Israelis, or both. The Obama Administration hopes to accomplish what all previous administrations have failed to do: create a stable border between the two warring parties. But while both sides seem to trust the current administration, their trust for one another does not seem to have improved in recent months.
