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AMERICA:Twice in the past year, Netanyahu has forced Obama into humiliating come-downs, writes LARA MARLOWE

ONE OF Barack Obama’s first pledges as president was to foster peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Listening to the American leader in the Rose Garden on Wednesday evening, you wondered if he still believes it’s possible. “I know these talks have been greeted in some quarters with scepticism,” Obama said. “We are under no illusions.” An hour and a half later, in the East Room of the White House, Obama read over Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s shoulder as Netanyahu delivered his speech. “One thing there’s no shortage of, Mr President, are sceptics,” Netanyahu said, turning to look up into Obama’s face. The president flashed a guilty grin.