The Bush people are trying to establish cover,
but not in the Arab world. They want cover domestically;
to be able to say "We did all could diplomatically to
resolve the Israeli-Palestine conflict, even pushed for
the Saudi peace plan and a nation for the Palis, etc".
Bush and his people did all that because they knew
perfectly well Arafat and the Palis would never go for
it
Now they are not bound to wait on a peace between Israel
and the Arabs; they can shrug and say to any critics: "What
more could we have done?"
They have created a situation where they can now act
with a free hand.