From Mr. Olmert's point of view, changing security on the ground, including another release of prisoners, is "more difficult than negotiating a declaration of principles, and politically more destabilizing," the senior official said.
"It would have been difficult for such a declaration to come from Arafat if it had been 17 Palestinians who were killed," Mr. Shaath said, not knowing an 18th had died.
The fact that a government declaration was difficult to quantify and divide into factors was evidently not considered.
"I don't think you would have been immediately arrested, but it would be very difficult to reverse your declaration now without being charged with a crime yourself, and even more challenging to file a complaint".
George Sabra's declaration underlines the difficult task facing the Americans in trying to get a unified and credible opposition delegation to take part, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut.
France is in a difficult election phase The solemn declaration by President Hollande in Versailles at a joint meeting of the House of Representatives and the Senate took place only a few weeks before the regional elections.
After Middlesex's declaration, Surrey found it difficult to build up any real partnerships, with Amla being their most potent force.
However, creating health-oriented rather than illness-oriented services has proved rather more difficult than the clarity of this declaration would suggest.
Persuading lawyers, judges, and legislatures to approve such a declaration could be even more difficult.
It was a more difficult message to deliver than his original declaration of war against the terrorists.
Headache diagnosis may be more difficult in these age groups due to declaration problems and overlapping symptoms.
