Defense Minister Ehud Barak recently told a group of leaders in Washington, "You must pull aside every curtain to look for it [peace], but you do so with your left hand. In your right, you hold a pistol, ready to pull the trigger."
His comment reflects the Defense Minister's position, which has become more precarious as the date of Annapolis conference nears, Reuters News Agency reported. "Many pundits perceived Barak's Annapolis invitation as a gambit by Olmert to spread blame should the talks collapse," it reported.