After spending time in the West Bank - following the separation barrier, experiencing the havoc of Palestinian towns ripped in two, and viewing the number of (sometimes) ridiculous roadblocks and access methods open to Palestinians in their own villages, it is more than encouraging to see America apply at least some pressure on Israel to loosen their stranglehold on West Bank life.

Of course, we’ve seen this before, and I don’t expect Barak or Olmert to cave so quickly. Historically American pressure on Israel is half-hearted at best, so we’ll await the real outcome here. Remember, it is not in Israel’s interests to slow down the construction of their barrier, nor to hand any further power to the Palestinian Authority - an entity they regularly undermine during almost daily incursions in towns such as Bethlehem, Nablus, and Jericho. When they want to enter, they simply call the local PA police and instruct them to clear the town. That kind of power; that kind of blatant disregard for local authority, will not dissipate easily.