Critics noted that while "President Arafat" toured the globe being welcomed by world leaders, Israel doubled the size of its settlements on what was envisioned as soil for a future Palestinian state.
But Israel has stubbornly ignored this ticking bomb, as well as a recent generous offer by the Palestinians and less than energetic prodding by the United States on its settlement policy, and it now faces the possibility that radical elements will take over Egypt, and possibly Jordan, Yemen and others over time.
"The situation is so complicated that it would be not only naive but dangerous to rely on its settlement by external forces, even if these are United Nations forces," he said.
All other issues pertaining to Russia-NATO cooperation derive from this contradiction, and the success of Russia's engagement with the alliance depends on its settlement.
Mr. Greenhill, an airplane and helicopter pilot who owns several planes and regularly flies clients on golfing trips, was hired by the Justice Department for advice on its settlement negotiations with Microsoft.
Sen. Chuck Schumer told a New York radio station last week that after the Obama administration hit Israel hard on its settlement policy, "I called up Rahm Emanuel and I called up the White House and I said, 'If you don't retract that statement you are going to hear me publicly blast you on this.'".
RBS's share price rose on the day of its settlement.
Even top Clinton administration officials like Robert Malley have acknowledged that the United States had not been tough enough on Israel for its settlement drive, and this failure to do so was a major factor in the collapse of the peace process.
The family back-and-forth came as King Abdullah of Jordan added to pressure on Israel over its settlements policy, demanding the international community take firm action over what he called the "red line" of Jerusalem.
The response was lacklustre; the company was now focussing its resources on developing its settlements rather than undertake further exploration.
In so doing some possible interim solutions can realistically be made to demonstrate to the Palestinians that Israel intends on changing its settlements' policy and evacuating the vast majority of the West Bank.
