Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egypt’s President Mubarak endorsed the conference at the White House last night, in hopes that regional support of the talks will continue. Both serve important roles: the former for securing Palestine’s eastern borders, reassurance which Israel needs, and the latter for more historical value, referencing the first Arab-Israeli treaty in 1979.

Mr. Abbas has said he will walk out if Israeli construction continues in the West Bank, after the 10-month moratorium ends on Sept. 26. Other issues include the possible sharing of the Old City of Jerusalem, a dismantling of the West End settlements to form  more concentrated settlements near the old border; and an outline of the border with the new Palestinian state.

Avigdor Lieberman, the actual foreign minister, is against most of this compromise, and promises to withdraw his party, Yisrael Beitenu, from the government if Mr. Netanyahu cedes too much. Mr. Barak, leader of the center left Kadima Party wouldn’t mind if that happened – he’s said that “Peace is more important than the composition of the government.”

Yesterday, Israel said that they would take steps to ease the blockade on Gaza. A list of items that are supposed to encourage economic growth in Gaza has been reviewed and repealed. Today President Obama said that the bond between Israel and the U.S. is “unbreakable.” Netanyahu said he looked forward to taking “concrete steps” to peace.

After March, when talks about how to diplomatically proceed with Palestine reached an impasse, relations were at their worst. Today marks a return to a relationship based on good appearances.

In the West Bank, the New York Times reports a list of groups that have given large, tax-deductible sums to Jewish development. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu has stalled the building projects that were announced in March to be constructed in East Jerusalem in hopes of kick-starting a peace process.

While critics say that this is simply political posturing, the fact that cameras were allowed to photograph the Prime Minister and the President is reassuring to many Jews who hope for peace and a strong friendship between Israel and the U.S.

For Jews, the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and the Tomb of Rachel in Bethlehem were declared by Prime Minister Netanyahu to be in need of refurbishment.  This inspired much reaction from the leader of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas.

Hebron is a site revered by Jews, Christians and Arabs, primarily for being the putative resting place of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah.  King David also ruled from Hebron for seven years before uniting the Kingdom of Israel with the conquering of Jerusalem. Christians also believed it to possibly be the birthplace of John the Baptist. The city remains one of the Four Holy Cities.

While Arabs similarly venerate this shrine as the place of Abraham’s burial, they are resentful that the Jewish military takes it upon themselves to guard the site, and even more so that the Jewish government plans to renovate the site.

Unfortunately this statement has sparked a new clash as Palestinians have taken to the streets in resentment.  It does not help that the respective leaders of Palestine and Israel have further repudiated the standing of each other with regard to these sites.

One wonders at how these two men could have addressed the issue similarly instead of immediately taking opposing sides, if at all.