As we see right now, the position of influence enjoyed by parties favoring
the negotiation process is tenuous at best. The local "elections" in Hebron
that the PLO was expected to win (perhaps adding a bit to its flagging
position of "legitimacy" in the eyes of Palestinians and the Middle East)
have been disrupted by Hamas actions overtly directed towards
undermining those (and all West Bank) elections. The present ruling Israeli 
Labor coalition seems to be one rather thin political ice. The Palestinian
delegation has been reduced from 14 to three to protest Israel "lack of
seriousness" in the talks and refusal to reverse all the deportations
immediately.

Hopefully, however, each of the parties will begin to learn that just
the fact that negotiations are taking place *does not mean* they are giving 
anything away to "the other side" (which was/is the favorite argument of 
the "rejectionists"). Let's hope that discusion and inevitable disagreement
on major issues leads at the same time to some agreement on smaller
"interim" ("phase", whatever term we prefer) steps to be taken.  



