Before flying back to the United States, Secretary of State John Kerry, who plans to visit Europe next week and may even return to the Middle East, griped over the fact the neither Israel nor the Palestinian Authority were promoting any new diplomatic concepts.
He has no idea what the origin is of the Gordian knot that binds the notion of Palestinian recognition of Israel as the Jewish state with Israel's consent to explore the "right of return" of descendents of the 1948 refugees.
Various ideas were discussed during Kerry's meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. One of those ideas was leaked to the media: The Jordan Valley would be patrolled by a joint Israeli, American and Jordanian force, complete with Palestinian observers.
This would satisfy Jordan's wish to keep Palestinian presence in the area to a minimum and meet Israel's demand for a security presence -- and if the Americans want to join in, Jerusalem would always accept them as friends.
The media are abuzz with ambiguous issues. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Monday that a prime minister who does not pursue peace is a "fool." But he himself failed to make peace -- not because he did not want to, but because Abbas skirted his efforts and did so despite the far-reaching concessions Olmert had offered, which included recognition of the right of return.
Back then, Olmert defended his failure by saying Abbas had avoided him. But Olmert has changed his tune over time and, judging by his speeches over the past two years, Israel is to blame for the faltering peace process far more than the Palestinians.
The same goes for Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's equivocal prattle. There are two facts to his credit: the first, that his suggestion to relocate Arab communities in Israel and subject them to Palestinian rule is six years old, and he has only dusted off the idea; the second, that it is well known his idea enjoys the backing of several senior officials.
But everyone knows this is a volatile issue that should only be discussed in hushed tones in back rooms, during the very last stage of the final peace talks, and not when the only thing on the table is a framework agreement meant to extend the negotiations.
Is seems Lieberman has embarked on a diplomatic romance with the Americans -- a welcome measure considering the multiple wrenches he has thrown in Netanyahu's negotiation plans. As the eager lover, Lieberman went as far as to say that Kerry's current proposal was the best one possible, the end all and be all.
He is entitled to his opinion, of course, but why now? It is too early and too late.
Many are fumbling in the dark. The right-wing markers in the Likud have surely noticed that during Monday's faction meeting, Netanyahu said Judea and Samaria communities would not be uprooted but there were some unpopulated areas in old Israel. Contemplating exactly what he meant will have to wait until the next round of negotiations.
But Kerry is gone for now, and weary negotiators have a short respite.
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