"The negotiations due to open in Washington, after all the efforts of Secretary of State Kerry, will stand or fall primarily with one issue: an agreement that the Green Line, the internationally recognized borders of Israel as they were on June 4, 1967, will be the basis for the permanent border between the existing State of Israel and the State of Palestine which will come into existence at its side" says Gush Shalom, the Israeli Peace Bloc.

"If this is agreed on, we have a breakthrough to a peace agreement with the Palestinians and with the entire Arab world. It would be possible then to hold detailed negotiations of demarking the precise boundary line and define small, reciprocal swaps of territory. Also other issues such as Jerusalem and refugees, highly emotional for both sides, can be solved once it is defined where the two parties stand on the ground and what will be the border between the two states.

On the other hand, if there no agreement on the 1967 borders as the basis for an agreement - and clearly the Government of Israel in its current composition is not likely to agree to provide such an agreement - then negotiations are foredoomed to failure. In that case, the Washington talks will be remembered as a passing episode, followed by escalating violence on the ground and an increasing international isolation for Israel. Decision makers couldn’t disclaim responsibility."