Yossi Beilin, the minister of justice, and Mr. Ben-Ami are perhaps the strongest advocates of a peace settlement in the Labor Party leadership.
The man claiming to be representing the Taliban laid down several surprisingly moderate conditions for a peace settlement: that the Taliban leadership be allowed to safely return to Afghanistan, that Taliban soldiers be offered jobs, and that prisoners be released.
Infuriated by news of long-term planning for more settlement housing, the Palestinian leadership is expected to meet on Thursday to discuss the future of the American-backed negotiations, which began this summer and were supposed to continue for nine months.
Party strategists say House Democrats are privately hoping that Rangel either resign before Thursday or make a settlement, to save House leadership the awkwardness of having to denounce or defend him.
Mr Juncker, who was Luxembourg's finance minister before becoming its leader in 1995, has insisted that all tax settlements reached under his leadership complied with national laws and international rules.
Abbas has remained committed to this vision even in the face of the most pro-settlement, anti-peace Israeli leadership in decades.
Unlike elements of Israel's government, most Jewish Americans favor a two-state solution, restricting settlement growth and active American leadership to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
When Mr. Cohen made his original settlement agreement, the S.E.C.'s leadership was in transition, a clear red flag from a tactical perspective.
In recent days, some right-wing lawmakers and relatives of the prisoners' victims denounced the idea that freeing criminals was an acceptable alternative to freezing settlement construction, as the Palestinian leadership originally demanded to enter the talks.
