And measures that have the force of domestic law are more likely to stick than those signed up to in a treaty under diplomatic pressure.

ECONOMIST: How to get negotiations on the right track for a deal

It is unclear whether the court's move is compatible with the terms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, an international treaty that grants diplomats immunity from criminal, civil and administrative jurisdiction in the country that hosts them.

WSJ: India Court Orders Italian Envoy to Stay Put

But, on the other hand, with peace in abeyance, the diplomatic and economic salvation that a treaty with Israel would have brought is out of the question as well.

BBC: Analysis: Bashar's slow, steady start