JERUSALEM -- When Israelis heard that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was coming to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, their reaction required no words, a shrug of the shoulders was enough. Most believed that Condi's diplomatic prowess would achieve little in the Holy Land. This may be the land of miracles, but it is also the land of grudges, even among cousins. Make that especially among cousins. The prevailing view here even before Condi arrived on Wednesday was that as long as Palestinians continued battling one another, unable to decide on a unified strategy for the future, anything the U.S. emissary does in Israel will produce only minor changes. This was a high-level diplomatic meeting that started with the lowest of expectations, and met them.
Condi in the Holy Land: Not So Great Expectations
