Israeli politicians seek to bypass talks, set own boundaries

With Middle East peace talks frozen and expectations of a negotiated deal at an all-time low, a growing number of Israeli politicians believe it is time for the government to set the nation’s own borders unilaterally.

Some seek the annexation of most of the occupied West Bank, others say only the big Jewish settlement blocs should be brought under Israeli sovereignty, while a third group calls for a partial pullout to create a de facto Palestinian state.

Such actions would break the dynamics of the U.S.-driven peace process, which has been bogged down by years of failure and recrimination. By the same token, it would likely unleash a firestorm of protest at home and abroad.

There are various versions of the idea kicking around. None of them mainstream and it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon. But it’s possible that sometime down the road the Israelis will take unilateral action if peace negotiations with the Palestinians continue to be worthless.