The storm caused by the Israeli prime minister’s pre-election comments against the Palestinian campaign to internationalize the conflict and seek a solution through international channels seems to have quieted for the moment. Binyamin Netanyahu is busy forming his new coalition government; Palestinian Authority Presdient Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) is continuing his international tour; the region is occupied with the internal wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen; and Iran’s nuclear talks with the West are still a major focus of concern.

Is this the calm before another storm? Is the region on the verge of another surprise alongside the Palestinians seeking internationalization of the conflict? It’s hard to predict, but in any case the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the time bomb that may explode any moment, and ignoring this problem or sweeping it under the carpet will not make it any less urgent.

The occupation is becoming more brutal than ever before.
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