So gravely have Israeli-Palestinian relations deteriorated, that the Israeli army last month held a "war-game" simulation designed to examine the possibility of re-invading West Bank cities that are now under the control of Mr Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority.
Details of the simulation, which was held in secret, are only now starting to leak out. The main conclusion appears to have been that, while the army is technically capable of recapturing territory that Israel has handed over to Mr Arafat's control in the course of the peace process, the invasion would cost hundreds of lives, with hundreds, if not thousands, more injured.
Underlining that the "simulation" was not a purely theoretical exercise, Israel's military chiefs invited several leading politicians, including aides to the Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, to observe it. All of those present are understood to have shared the assessment that retaking cities such as Hebron and Ramallah was not a realistic option, and the army is now said to be devising alternative strategies for the eventuality of a full scale Israeli-Palestinian confrontation.
That Israel's military chiefs are thinking in these terms is a reflection of the depth of the crisis afflicting Middle East peace efforts. Palestinian leaders have long lost confidence in Mr Netanyahu's oft-professed desire to move forward with the accords he inherited when taking office last year. And Israeli intelligence chiefs are now accusing some of Mr Arafat's police chiefs of reverting to the armed struggle against Israel.
Several Palestinian policemen are now in Israeli custody, having been arrested last week while allegedly en route to attack Jewish settlers in the Nablus area of the West Bank. Mr Arafat's security officials have arrested four more policemen, apparently in connection with the same or similar incidents.
While Mr Arafat has promised to get to the bottom of the Israeli claims, Israeli officials are divided as to the Palestinian Authority president's own role. Some claim he is losing control of his police force and is himself threatened; others assert that he has given implicit or explicit orders for attacks on Israel.
The US State Department is reported to have sent a warning to Mr Arafat that the involvement of Palestinian policemen in acts of terrorism against Israel is unacceptable.
In an effort to stave off a further deterioration on the ground, there have been several recent meetings between Israeli and Palestinian officials.
The Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr David Levy, met yesterday with the Palestinian Planning Minister, Mr Nabil Sha'ath, in Jerusalem, with a possible LevyArafat meeting at this week's EU summit in Brussels high on their agenda. Mr Netanyahu is reported to be interested in a meeting with Mr Arafat as well. The US has also belatedly began drawing up an initiative to restart peace efforts, involving an accelerated push toward a full, permanent peace accord.
David Horovitz is managing editor of the Jerusalem Report
An Israeli extremist who organised an ancient ceremony to curse the late prime minister, Mr Yitzhak Rabin, before his assassination was sentenced to four months in prison yesterday. Mr Avigdor Askin organised the ancient Jewish cursing ceremony, called Pulsa Denura, in Jerusalem shortly before the prime minister was shot dead November 4th, 1995, in Tel Aviv, by another farright extremist, Yigal Amir.