The best part is that they're not taking calls from Israeli diplomats. That way their new policies will be a surprise!

Jerusalem has received various reports in recent weeks indicating that American foreign policy in the Middle East and in Southeast Asia after president-elect Barack Obama takes office will operate on the basis of special envoys... Obama and Clinton's transition teams are maintaining secrecy and minimal ties with Israeli diplomats. Obama and Clinton also directed their people not to take part in the policy debates of the Brookings Institution's Saban Center forum, attended by Israeli politicians and officials... senior government sources in Jerusalem said that the information they have received indicates that the new administration is planning a hierarchy of about five special envoys to various regions, overseen by a kind of "super coordinator."

The short list: Martin Indyk, Dan Kurtzer, Colin Powell, and Dennis Ross. Or, as they're also known: the guy who just promised that Obama will ratchet up pressure on Israel, the guy who's been promising since March that Obama will ratchet up pressure on Israel, and the guy who was so biased for so long that Israel wrote him off because he was from the State Department and - really - what do you expect? Oh - and also shameless Obama shill Dennis Ross. So not that much of a surprise.

Luckily Condi Rice says that Bush is still going to push for a peace deal in his last month in office. Which should work out well because the Palestinians just rejected sweeping Israeli concessions of the kind that haven't been offered for half a decade. So there should be plenty of middle ground to discuss. They've been waiting for Obama to take control since before the election. No way they're going to take a deal now. Even Hamas is gloating about how holding out across subsequent American administrations works for the enemies of the US and its allies.

References:
* Obama likely to name special envoy to Middle East [Ha'aretz]
* Indyk: Of Course Obama Is Going To Pressure Israel [MR]
* Top Obama Foreign Policy Adviser: No Seriously, We Are Totally Going To Screw Israel When We Get Into Power [MR]
* Who's In Charge Here? [MR]
* Dennis Ross: "I'm Endorsing Obama Because He'll Make Iran And Iran's Financial Backers Like Us" [MR]
* Palestinians reject Israeli West Bank withdrawal offer [M&C]
* Rice: Bush not done working on Israeli-Palestinian issue [Ha'aretz]
* Indyk: Of Course Obama Is Going To Pressure Israel [MR]
* Hamas leader to Haaretz: If you ask America for money, you pay a price [Ha'aretz]

Previously:
* Iran Rejects Talks With Obama, Foreign Policy Sophisticates Confused
* Former Peace Process Diplomats To Obama: Renewed Peace Process Guaranteed To Fail
* Obama: Since We All Know That Engagement With Iran Won't Work, How About A US Nuclear Umbrella For Israel?