Kosovo's independence was welcomed by U.S. President George W. Bush, as it was by several members of the European Union including France and Britain. On the other hand, Spain with an important Basque minority, opposes Kosovo's separation from Serbia, as does Russia, which faces similar problems with its ethnic minorities.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said that declaring independence unilaterally is not on the table. That may well be true - until now. The fact that the very idea of declaring independence without waiting for a breakthrough in the peace talks with Israel was raised by a senior member of the president's entourage now puts the issue on the table. No doubt this is an idea which is going to permeate and take roots with a portion of the Palestinian population, frustrated with the lack of progress in the peace talks with Israel.

The possibility of the Palestinians following the Kosovo example should not be underestimated. Rather, it should serve as a wake up call to the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert – and to the Bush administration - that time is a precious component and should not be wasted. The longer the delay in the peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, the more likely radical ideas are apt to find fertile minds.

Rabbo accuses Israel of dragging its heels to buy time. Time, however, is not playing in Israel's favor. The longer the wait, the more complex the issue becomes. In fact, Gaza, now under control of Hamas, has for all intents and purposes already declared its independence, not only from Israel but from the Palestinian Authority as well.