With Fatah and Hamas joining hands in the occupied territories and Palestinians breaching the Syrian frontier, Israel may feel its situation is more precarious than ever. The latest window of opportunity for peace in the Middle East may be closing, and the popular choice is always to dig in. Yet both sides, and in particular Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, would serve their cause best by committing themselves to a rejuvenated peace process.

Forthcoming events in Washington – a speech on Muslim-Western relations by Barack Obama on Thursday, a speech to a joint session of Congress by Mr. Netanyahu on Friday – may seem far removed from the shifting facts on the ground in the region. But political leadership can turn apparent threats into real opportunities. Read more