Israeli forces kill children too. Both are guilty, and both should be reprimanded.

“Palestinian forces are firing rounds at women and children in a market place”

You just put your finger on the crux of the issue - the “Palestinian” Arab compulsion to keep trying to kill Israeli civilians. Absent that, there would be no conflict. If you didn’t know, the Israelis have far better things to do with their time and energy than having to serve in the military if they don’t have to.

“Palestinian forces are firing rounds at women and children in a market place”

You just put your finger on the crux of the issue - the “Palestinian” Arab compulsion to keep trying to kill Israeli civilians. Absent that, there would be no conflict. If you didn’t know, the Israelis have far better things to do with their time and energy than having to serve in the military if they don’t have to.

“Following the time-honored tradition of U.S. presidents attempting to forge peace agreements (ideally in the Middle East) during their last years in office…”

And there it is in a nutshell: it is simply a face-saving “tradition” rather than anything anyone truly expects to occur.

And the reality is that it cannot and will not occur, for two fairly simple reasons.

First and foremost, the animosity between the Jews and Palestinians is just a subset of the animosity between the Jews and the entire Arab world.  The former may frame the issue vis-a-vis the creation of Israel in 1948.  However, this is a red herring, as the animosity goes back over 4,000 years to Isaac and Ishmael, and the split that created the Jews via Isaac and the Arabs (and, later, the Muslims) via Ishmael.  Who in their right mind thinks that this 4,000-year-old dispute can or will be settled by a piece of paper and some temporary goodwill?

The other factor is that, even were this possible - that somehow the millennia-long enmity could be negated with a piece of paper and goodwill - as long as the extremists on both sides are the ones who frame and control the debate and process (such as it is) - via violence and propaganda) - NOTHING can or will change.

Peace.  (probably not soon…)

Yeah, the three sit around drinking coffee and make dirty jokes about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama while Israeli military is bombing Palestinians outside, and Palestinian forces are firing rounds at women and children in a market place a few miles away.

Boy, I do love these peace talks.