It may be the Obama magic is wearing off. More likely, delays encountered by the new American president in kickstarting the Middle East peace process, deemed by him a US national security priority, merely reflect the notorious complexity of the task – and the bloody-mindedness of those involved. Change is an easy slogan. Making it reality is the hard part.
The presence this week of half a dozen or so senior Obama advisers in Israel, plus their side visits to Syria, Egypt and the Palestinian territories, gives the impression of furious, progressive diplomatic activity. This is doubtless deliberate. US-Israeli relations have dipped sharply since the spring, with prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu bluntly refusing to take US "orders" on ending settlement growth, east Jerusalem demolitions, Iran, or anything else. Obama's peace drive, like some other of his flagship policies, has faltered.
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