Dennis Ross, one of the architects of the failed Oslo Accords, is the most likely person to be named by President-elect Barack Obama as a special envoy to the Mideast, political analysts say. Also in the running is former American Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer, who has strongly opposed a Jewish presence in most of Judea and Samaria.

A third candidate is former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was considered by the Israeli government to be unfriendly.