The US 'throws in the towel' on settlments freeze ...

"... "After consulting with the parties, we have determined that a moratorium extension will not at this time provide the best basis for resuming negotiations," a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity Tuesday..... "We are not changing course. We are still very much committed" to get a framework agreement.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is due to make a statement on the Middle East peace process Wednesday..."They are trying to de-link negotiations from a settlement freeze," one Washington Middle East watcher said Tuesday, of the Obama administration. "Their argument is that the intention was never to make a freeze a precondition for talks - a freeze was supposed to build confidence and energize talks, that's all. Now they are trying to formally break the linkage that inadvertently developed."...."Less clear is what they envision going forward," the Mideast hand continued."