Ilan Baruch, a former Israeli ambassador to South Africa and who once served in the London embassy, has made clear his views about the conduct of his government.

"In the last two years," Baruch wrote, "voices questioning the possibility of resuming talks toward a regional peace, as well as those seeking to eradicate such a possibility, have grown stronger in Israel."

"The second Netanyahu cabinet, much like the first – despite the 'Bar-Ilan speech' – is seen as holding on to the status quo and as deserting the diplomatic effort toward a permanent agreement," he added.

He said that since "the government was sworn in two years ago, its members have voiced a persistent reluctance to the international demand to withdraw from occupied territories, a disavowal of the Annapolis understandings, as well as a disregard of the Road Map for Peace and the Arab peace initiative..."In the last two years certain messages were reiterated by the country's leaders, [messages which] outrage me and which I cannot ignore."

"I find it difficult to represent them and honestly explain them,"

A malignant dynamic that is hard honestly to explain. Says it all.