Originally, peace was the goal and a "two-state SOLUTION" was a means to that end.. Now it's an end in itself and peace or terrorism be damned.

Clinton: Progress on a Palestinian State Goes "Hand-in-Hand" with Efforts to Stem Iran
[Washington Post] Glenn Kessler - Progress on establishing a Palestinian state must go "hand-in-hand" with efforts to stem Iranian influence in the Middle East, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the House Appropriations Committee Thursday. "For Israel to get the kind of strong support it's looking for vis-a-vis Iran, it can't stay on the sideline with respect to the Palestinians and the peace efforts, that they go hand-in-hand," Clinton said. Clinton noted that every Arab official she has met with "wants very much to support the strongest possible policy toward Iran." But "they believe that Israel's willingness to reenter into discussions with the Palestinian Authority strengthens them in being able to deal with Iran."

****This is unprincipled haggling of the worst kind. If the US doesn't consider Iranian influence important on its own, what is? Why should Israel throw in the towel when Clinton can't deliver on anything IN ANY EVENT? The Palestinian state is now a separate end for the State Dept irrespective if it leads to peace or not, whether or not it threatens the existence of Israel, and whether or not it will create more problems than it solves. How can the story of Gaza not give pause to anyone with an IQ above room temperature? How can any people demonstrate more dysfunctionality than the Palestinians except when it comes to innovating terrorism? Corruption is still their hallmark while they live on the international dole:
Gaza's Power Plant Makes Millions
[Reuters] Adam Entous - While Gaza's residents face electricity shortages, the Palestine Electric Co.'s profits were $6.3 million in 2008, up from $4.4 million in 2007. Critics decry what they call a lopsided deal that guarantees the PEC a fixed annual fee from the Palestinian Authority, which is bankrolled with aid from Western governments. Past efforts by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to reopen the PEC's contract stalled. Many large PEC shareholders are close to PA leader Mahmoud Abbas, officials say. Since 2006, the EU and member states have aided the PA by paying for fuel for the Gaza power plant, costing some $130 million last year.

****Perhaps it's expedient for Israel to note that Obama's U.S. abandons its friends and embraces its enemies and that the erstwhile friends might band together. Who else is Obama throwing under the bus ( subvehiculating)? Britain, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Colombia, the Czechs, Poles, Ukrainians, Georgians etc.Even Mubarek's Egypt and Abdullah's Jordan might regard Israel as less of an issue than the threat of Iran and the US is looking unreliable. ****