These articles and this and this one and last but not least this one here and from the Jerusalem Post this one and this have all appeared in the last day or so.
If any of this is correct, direct talks will begin in Washington D.C. on or about September 2 of this year. Does anyone really think this is actually going to happen?
All of the IP warriors have mulled every possible question until we all got tired, half of us wondering if there ever even would be direct talks, and, if so, how on earth would they get going, in view of X and Y and Z. Not a few have reluctantly concluded here that the present cast of characters simply could not move forward for this reason or that reason, the diarist among them.
Suddenly, there are reports in Israeli papers at least of documents almost done to form a basis for beginning the talks, a date named and a place set, final talking papers being polished and exchanged.
Part of what I wonder if a reason for this going forward is none of those but this article, advising that US support for Israel is polling as falling.
There was also a Breaking item in the emails of a WaPo/NYT article late this afternoon of a US assuaging of Israeli concern about the timing of possible first Iranian nuclear weapon status, which hinted that there is more time to work on something than was thought before. New flotillas are on the way, with pictures of ships. The settlement construction freeze, such as it is expires at the end of the month.
Normally, I don't do diaries unless I am prepared to chew a topic to death, to the point where some of you quietly pray for me to shush so you can get to the comments. I am not doing that this time, but providing the articles and asking you all whether you think it will in fact begin as the articles indicate and what you think the actual positions of the parties will be. Please provide links and docs if you can.
I plead topic consciousness in this, no space for more nine day wonders of the silly girl who took pictures, or the stupidity of the Jerusalem rapid transit survey that asked if passengers would mind riding with Arabs, which also came out today. No awful video. Please.
What do you think is really going to happen, and why.
My own only thought right now is that given all the other things of interest to US readers, this will if nothing else be a political September to Remember, if we all survive it.
UPDATE. Here is the article about the US and assuaging Israel about Iran. The NYT has just posted a breaking item about talks but it's still a 'breaking' item on top of the NYT page without an article I could click and link.