Dithering, Palin-Style

Decisive decision making:

Sarah Palin aborts visit to Bethlehem

Sarah Palin has emerged at the centre of a potentially embarrassing mystery when she abruptly aborted a visit to Bethlehem just yards from an Israeli checkpoint guarding the entrance to the city of Christ's birth.

Israeli military officials declined to comment on why Mrs Palin may have turned back, but the country's defence ministry confirmed that she had made no formal request to visit the occupied West Bank – standard protocol for any foreign dignitary.

The oversight could prove embarrassing for Mrs Palin's advisers, who are unused to planning for foreign visits and have a reputation for being poorly organised.