JERUSALEM -- While Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has expressed full confidence in the progress of peace negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and her government, Palestinian negotiators are claiming they have neither a negotiating partner in Israel nor the United States.

The Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are reportedly making "significant progress" on the future borders of a Palestinian state and security arrangements, according to the Israelis, but the Palestinians have yet to announce any movement on the major final status questions regarding their fate.

"Frankly, so far nothing has been achieved." This was the startling yet straightforward statement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after his failure in Washington last week to have U.S. President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice exercise some arm-twisting in the stalled Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

The political situation in the Middle East is reaching a dangerous crescendo. The status quo cannot continue; either the comatose peace process shifts into high gear, and all parties concerned become serious about moving toward a peaceful solution – without reservation – or the region faces a serious risk of slipping into greater violence.

The inflammable condition of the Palestinian territories is reaching explosive levels and unless a substantial breakthrough in the dormant peace process is realized, massive violence can be expected. Uncontrollable events may take place, even beyond their borders, if the growing frustration of Israelis and Palestinians is not stemmed.

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney visited Ramallah Sunday in the hope of breathing some life into the moribund peace process, but for most skeptical Palestinians it was much ado about nothing, more of the same, and too little too late.

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinians are gearing up for another year without peace despite U.S. President George W. Bushs optimism which they find hard to share.

With time rapidly running out on the U.S. administration – 314 days before the next president is sworn into office – President George W. Bush is beginning to feel the urgency in trying to bring about a negotiated settlement in the Middle East. The fireman being sent to douse the flames is none other than the vice president of the United States, Dick Cheney.

Israels intelligence community painted a bleak picture of threats facing the Jewish state. The report – an annual assessment somewhat similar to Washingtons National Intelligence Estimate, or NIE, was delivered to the Israeli cabinet on Sunday.