American maps for Israel

Of course, the hubris required to think you can solve the Israeli/Palestinian conflict isn't anything unique to Obama.

Barbara Slavin reports that Dennis Ross's old collaborator David Makovsky has drawn up three maps for a Palestinian State, and urges Obama to push it:

While Makovsky declined to give details pending the formal unveiling of the maps in late January, they appear designed to allow Israel to retain the most populated settlements close to the old 1967 border while maximizing contiguous land for the Palestinians.

Makovsky said the maps show "where geography meets demography."

A former journalist for Israeli and U.S. publications who has long helped Americans understand Israel and vice-versa, Makovsky says he has consulted all sides but did not ask for anyone's endorsement. If the Israelis and Palestinians balk at his proposals, however, "it would be logical for a third party like the United States" to put forward a territorial solution, he said.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's American allies don't like the idea of an American-led solution, which was said to have been favored by James Jones. But with the current stalemate, it has to be tempting for the White House.

American maps - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com