Once again, the Palestinians are pushed against the wall

Once again, the Palestinians find themselves on the defensive, and again, Israel has succeeded in blaming the Palestinians for obstructing the renewal of peace talks.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he was not opposed to the resumption of peace talks, but after marathon and slow talks since 1993, this time he wants a complete halt to settlements and wants guarantees that negotiations will lead to a Palestinian state on lands Israel occupied in 1967. He is not against a limited and agreed swap of lands.
But this is not what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants. The Israeli leader came to power with the following principles: No negotiations over Jerusalem or refugees' right of return, no to a complete settlements freeze and borders are subject to negotiations.
The world hailed what Netanyahu successfully portrayed as a siginicant shift in his position when he accepted a two-state solution. The international community was pleased with his new shift in position regarding a 10-month freeze on settlements excluding Jerusalem, and Washington believes this to be an unprecedented move.
World leaders who followed U.S. President Barack Obama's lead in calling for a complete settlements freeze and pressed Israel to comply, changed their heart when Obama did and accepted Israel's "restraint" on building. Nobody wants to see Netanyahu's right-wing coalition fall, and anyway, they now believe it was a big mistake to start a peace process with asking too much of Israel.
While world leaders were making the shift to accomodate Israel's domestic hardships, Abbas continued to insist on a total settlement freeze and international involvement on setting the borders of the Palestian state.
The international community now says that Netanyahu has bended far enough, that's all he can give, and it was up to Abbas to climb down the tree.
It has always been easier to pressure the weaker side.
Palestinians are now reminded of the times when the world was blaming Arafat for rejecting Ehud Barack's offers during the Camp David summit even after Rob Malley explained no so-called "generous" offers were made.
Abbas will this time come under pressure, or is already under pressure to accept whatever the Americans offer or be blamed for lacking leadership. Abbas can't be accused of fomenting violence or opposing peace, but his leadership skills will come under attack.
An aide to Abbas said the Palestinian leader now wants a state. The United States and Europe say they want to see Israel end occupation that began in 1967, they reject Israel's occupation and annexation of East Jerusalem and want to see a Palestinain state, but they are not ready yet to accept that state.
"If Abbas comes under pressure, he will leave the political scene, and the world will get Hamas instead, the aide said.
The Palestinians' backs are again to the wall.