The Palestinians contest not just the post-1967 occupation of the West Bank; since the United Nations partition plan of 1947 – which called for the establishment of two states, one Jewish and one Arab – Palestinians have refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist, and most Israelis are not convinced that they have totally abandoned that stance. Being tone-deaf to these fundamental issues, Mitchell started on the wrong foot by initially acceding, with Obama’s encouragement, to the Palestinians’ demand for a freeze on further construction in Israeli settlements on the West Bank prior to the start of negotiations.