Close up: Body language By Salama A Salama The Palestinian-Israeli talks in Sharm El-Sheikh have been so shrouded in secrecy that one cannot but use the body language of the interlocutors to guess what's going on. So far we've heard nothing definite from those involved, aside from some general remarks of no particular significance by George Mitchell. No one knows what these talks are about, what the starting points are, or the items on the agenda. The press spoke about a Palestinian state that should be independent, sovereign and territorially connected alongside the Jewish state. But everyone has been tight lipped about settlements. Will construction be stopped or resumed? No one knows. Looking smug as he settled on a comfortable seat in one of Sharm El-Sheikh's luxury resorts, Binyamin Netanyahu appeared to be the top wheeler and dealer. His insincere grin, which he flashes just for show, was soon replaced with a harsh and uncompromising glare. In one television shot, he appears to be having a heated discussion with President Hosni Mubarak, one in which the latter waves his hand twice at least, turning his face away, as if he is discarding an Israeli argument about the settlements. No one knows exactly what Hillary Clinton said, or what is her role in pressuring Israel or the Palestinians. But her face lit up as she welcomed her friend, Netanyahu, the warm rapport between the two speaking volumes about the secrets the Americans and Israelis are keeping from everyone else. It is as if she was saying to Netanyahu, "Let's continue this game to the end and get away with what we can get away with." It didn't appear that the US secretary of state was required to do anything more than being physically present. No work, action, or view has been attributed to her, aside from the encouraging gestures and words she distributed all around. President Mahmoud Abbas appeared to be very pleased with the whole thing, free of all worries, not a man about to lose everything, his country and history included. His face didn't bear the marks of agony or concern. Nor did he appear to realise the big trap that has been set up for him or the plots they are hatching. The ongoing scheming about settlements in the West Bank and Gaza seemed to escape his notice. This is not the first time negotiations between President Abbas and Israel were held in complete secrecy. Similar negotiations took place between President Abbas and Ehud Olmert two years ago. And it was said that the two sides reached some results that are being kept in dossiers in Egypt and America. Sharm El-Sheikh had seen it all before, the same faces, the same place, and the same arrangement. And no outcome to mention. Still, Mitchell managed to get in front of reporters after every meeting to tell us that the talks were going somewhere and moving towards crucial issues. What crucial issues? We don't know. And we don't know if Mitchell, or Abbas for that matter, has any clue. Israeli newspapers, meanwhile, seem to know something. According to them, the talks haven't touched on the question of settlements. The Americans, Israeli writers suggest, seem to have figured out a formula that would meet Netanyahu's needs without alienating the Palestinians. The fate of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, which is of great importance to Israel, has been discussed already. The body language one sees on television doesn't inspire confidence. So far, the veil of secrecy slammed on the negotiations seems to mask the US inability to deliver. In other words, the secrecy is there to protect failure, not success.
