Diluting the message

Yet despite its mildness the statement contains a number of significant implications, not least because it places all 15 members of the Security Council, including Israel's closest ally the United States, on record as telling Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's government not to proceed with the plan, which it characterises as "a serious and damaging development."

The statement stressed that Israeli actions will remain under continuing Security Council review, implying the possibility of further action should Netanyahu's government refuse to comply. More importantly, however, the statement has shattered Israel's persistent illusion that Jerusalem will be its "united and eternal capital."

The international community has sent a timely message to Tel Aviv. Not only does it not recognise Israel's exclusive claim over the city, it has openly expressed its desire that "the permanent status negotiations [between Palestine and Israel] cover the issue of Jerusalem."

Finally, while welcoming US efforts to revive talks between Palestine and Israel, the statement notes that "the Palestinian side has already given agreement in principle to the US proposals," suggesting that it is now up to Israel to take similar steps. The ball is in Israel's court. The question is, though, will Netanyahu get the message?

Unfortunately, the likely answer is no. Netanyahu, after all, has shown himself adept at turning a deaf ear to anything that fails to reflect his own extremist views. Nor has the Likud leader ever doubted his ability to stand alone against the international community. And Washington, in blocking Arab attempts to turn the Security Council statement into an official resolution so as not to "endanger" its current efforts to revive peace talks, is surely being disingenuous.

The real danger, after all, is that Netanyahu's policies are leading the region to the brink of disaster. What possible advantage is to be gained by diluting that message?