It is perhaps now an opportune moment for the international community to lift the aid embargo it imposed on the Palestinian Authority after Hamas came to power in elections last year. Such a move could boost the delicate behind-the-scenes negotiations occurring both through surrogates such as the Arab League -- with its proposal in which Hamas would recognizing Israel in exchange for the return of Palestinian refugees -- and tentative “unofficial” direct Palestinian-Israeli communications.

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The Current Discussion: With the Israeli re-invasion of Gaza, it's clear that the "Annapolis Peace Process" is collapsing. Does it matter? Who's to blame?

The lack of urgency by the West to act more resolutely to end the carnage in the Gaza is shameful. The UN Security Council is depressingly impotent. It is splitting hairs over the text to describe Israel’s spectacularly disproportional military attacks to respond to rocket attacks from Gaza. The Israeli blockade of the entire Gaza population, which is essentially collective punishment of all Palestinians for the actions of a few Hamas militants and their leaders, cannot be right. Israeli use of military tanks to bomb Hamas out of power once and for all will not only worsen the already terrible humanitarian crisis, but it will increase Palestinian bitterness.

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