Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Israel this week to reinforce U.S.-Israeli ties and to foster Mideast peace talks. He also seeks to convince leaders of the Jewish state to join other nations in seeking sanctions against Iran and its nuclear program rather than initiating unilateral military action against that country.
Mr. Biden seemed to be making some progress on reaching those goals. Then, on Tuesday, Israel approved the construction of 1,600 new homes in east Jerusalem, That decision threatens to undo the beneficial aspects of the vice president's visit.
The resolution to build on disputed land is more than a minor distraction. It inflames Palestinians, who claim the land as their own and who have said for years that Israeli intransigence on the subject was a major stumbling block to peace.
The decision puts the international diplomatic community in a difficult position. Most nations, including the United States, logically believe that the settlement issue is a deal-breaker when it comes to talk of peace. Sadly, all efforts to convince Israel that is the case have proved unsuccessful.
Indeed, announcement of the building plan immediately threatened to derail a new round of indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks announced Monday as Mr. Biden arrived in Israel. U.S. envoy George Mitchell would moderate the talks -- if they take place. That's looking doubtful. A Palestinian spokesman, who Monday voiced approval of the talks, said on Tuesday that "This [the new construction] is destroying our efforts to work with Mr. Mitchell. It is really a disastrous situation ..."
Another of Mr. Biden's tasks was to reassure his hosts that the Obama administration -- perceived to be far less accepting of Israel than its predecessors -- values its ties to the country. He did that Tuesday, saying the bonds between the countries were "unshakable" and that "There is absolutely no space between the United States and Israel in terms of Israel's security. None." But that was before the east Jerusalem plan was revealed.
Mr. Biden's warm words notwithstanding, the Tuesday announcement complicates U.S. policy towards Israel. As long as Israel continues to build in disputed territories, it will be difficult to promote regional peace or to address Iran's nuclear buccaneering. Even Mr. Biden can do little more than promote harmony and encourage progress. He can't mandate either.
The vice president's trip to the Mideast illustrates the difficulties of peacemaking there. The promise of Monday's peace-talk announcement is undercut by Tuesday's revelation of construction in east Jerusalem. The push-and-pull of domestic Israeli politics and the internecine battles among Palestinian factions snarl the diplomatic process. It's been that way for decades, and if events of the last few days are any indication, they're likely to do so for some time to come.
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