Peres stumbles

摘要

Shimon peres, Israel's prime minister, is wobbling his way towards trouble. Usually sure-footed, he has stumbled over setting a date for the Israeli election that has to be held by the end of October. His problem, pounced on by the opposition, is with the stop-go peace negotiations with Syria. Last month, when these talks resumed near Washington, after a long hiatus, Mr Peres's men spoke of a breakthrough by the spring, and an election to follow in June. This assessment was later revised: the unwonted warmth of the talks, it seemed, had been more atmospheric than substantial.