The Palestinian Authorities response could well have been written before Israeli Prime Minister made his address with Barack this week..
Of course, in those talks he flatly refused a return to pre 1967 borders.. and in so uncertain terms said Israel would not consider a split Palestinian State, in the West Bank and Gaza..
'This will not lead to peace'.. is the word from Palestinian Authority leader Mahmood Abbas.. that in fact Netanyahu has thrown 'more obstacles in the path to peace'... that this was 'a declaration of war'..
It will be interesting to see what happens this Fall, when the Palestinian Authority approaches the UN for a seat.. to be recognised as a State..
If Israel and the US have anything to say about it.. nothing at all..
Oddly enough.. the thought is that Britain will either support the Palestinians, or abstain..

President Obama is going to address the joint Houses in Westminster later today.. and he's going to talk about a 'new dawn for the West'.. that we have turned the corner, and are on the road to stable growth and increasing prosperity coupled with sweeping democratic reform.. He will be referring of course, to the changes in the Middle East.. He will try to encourage diplomatic talks with the Taliban.. an effort to draw the line under a war impossible to win.. He will mention the 'special' relationship the US has with Europe, and stress the need, despite the emergence of gigantic new economies the likes of China and India, for a trans-Atlantic alliance to remain strong.. But, asserts Barack.. 'the West still leads the world'..
It will be an interesting speech.. but the delivery of it will be the telling point..

Something for Barack to be concerned about though, is that reports are Pakistani Army officers are fed anti-American propaganda.. and that hate for the States is rife within the ranks..
Now Pakistan gets billions of US dollars on a yearly basis, to help in the fight against terrorism.. In the light of Osama being found, apparently living in Abbotabad beside a military academy for 6 years without the Pakistani authorities knowing about it, beggars the truth.. Relations between, Pakistan and the US are, to say the least, strained.. and recent visits to Russia and China, and now North Korea's Kim Jong Il making the trek to China as well, it would all seem to be indicating a move away from the Western alliance..
Fortunately.. A Taliban spokesman said militants had "so far" no plans to seize Pakistan's nuclear weapons.
Good to know..

According to the OECD..the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Bank of England had best start raising interests quickly through what's left of this year, and into 2012 as well.. this, to curb the inflationary spiral we're just beginning.. it's at 4.5% in Britain today..
In its flagship 'Economic Outlook', the OECD lowered its UK growth forecast for this year from 1.5% to 1.4%, and for next year from 2% down to 1.8%...
Now that came on the back of a downgrade to the OECD’s growth forecasts in March.. showing a far weaker outlook than that of the Government’s Office for Budget Responsibility, which predicts growth of 1.7% this year and 2.5% the next.
Someone, hopefully in the government, had better start sharpening their pencils, and working this all out again..
For while we may well put up with the privations which will put us back on a firm economic footing.. we at least want to know the truth about projected recovery figures, and how long we're going to have to bite the bullet..
That, at the very least..

But again, why not a Balfour Act for the Palestinians.. the establishment of a homeland they could all migrate to and call their own. Say the south of Yemen. Have the Palestinians leave their homes, as did the Jews throughout Europe and the US, and turn what was, for the most part, a desert.. into the Israel it is today.. it took 60 or so years.. but it can be done..
I'm sure the US would happily pump cash into the reclamation effort.. perhaps with the caveat Hammas give up it's terrorist attacks..
It worked for Pakistan, again 60 years ago..
And look where they are now..

There's some noise among the Developing Nations, concerning the selection of a new head of the IMF..
The so called Brics.. that's Brazil..Russia..India..China.. and South Africa.. points out that choosing a replacement for Domenique should have nothing to do with nationality..
Now herein the problem.. these emerging economies have been lobbying for years for a greater voice in the international financial community.. If they should group together, and present more candidates for the post, it could really muddy diplomatic and economic minds throughout the Eurozone..
It's a growing threat..

Meanwhile, our Icelandic ash cloud appears to be heading for Germany.. That means Bremen and Hamburg will close early today.. with British airports to be given an all clear..
For the time being, and as long as the wind holds..
Lovely.

It seems odd these days, to read of more than 600 deaths were caused by flu this past winter. It's one of those diseases, the likes of polio, which for the most part trivialised, or forgotten..
There is an amazing campaign in Britain at the outset of 'flu season, to go to your GP and get a free injection of vaccine.. but it would seem that in at least 600 cases, those ads had no impact..
Of course.. cost came into the equation.. Some surgeries ran out of stock, underestimating the demand.. delays in restocking simply put some off rescheduling.. and if the surgery was left with unused vaccines, they were stuck with them.. suitable only for the bin..
And after all, it's not the plague.. Just as deadly for those 600 though..