Israeli president says settlements a 'marginal' issue

That's the headline in the National Post.

And that's why there will be no progress in the near term on Israel/Palestine peace. The Israelis are in denial. They still want to have their cake and eat it too. They think they can have peace without giving up most of the settlements. They refuse to acknowledge that this is the number one issue on the Palestineans minds and the primary injustice that must be resolved.

As an aside, Peres also says: "The minute we shall start to negotiate there won't be new settlements, there won't be confiscation of land," thus confirming that, as of today, there are continuing new settlements and land confiscations.

Peres, whose position is largely ceremonial can't commit the Israeli government, and so far the government of Prime Minister Netanyahu has not made any statement that confirms Peres's promise of future good behaviour. On the contrary, it has agreed only to a limited time moratorium on new projects in limited areas.