|
Click here for the mobile edition | Problems seeing this? View the online edition
Friday, October 19, 2007
Today's News
- Israeli, PA Negotiators Meet to Match Stance Ahead of Summit
- by Avi Issacharoff (Haaretz)
The Palestinian and Israeli negotiating teams met Friday in Jerusalem to coordinate their stance ahead of a U.S.-sponsored regional peace summit scheduled to take place in Annapolis, Maryland later this year, Army Radio reported.
Sources told Haaretz that the closed talks were successful, and that the two sides are progressing in their negotiations over a joint agreement to present at the summit. Palestinian officials denied reports of a crisis in the negotiations, saying that the talks were still in their preliminary stages and that it was as yet too early to report any rifts between the two sides.
- After Talks With Rice, Jordan’s King Backs Peace Talks
- by The Associated Press
Jordan’s King Abdullah II voiced support for a U.S.-sponsored international peace conference following talks in Britain Thursday with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a royal palace statement said.
He said the "opportunity to achieve peace and enhance security and stability in the Middle East should not be missed."
- National Security Adviser Will Travel to Middle East
- by Michael Abramowitz (The Washington Post)
National Security Adviser Stephen J. Hadley will head to the Middle East next week, the latest in a procession of senior U.S. officials trying to keep nascent Israeli-Palestinian talks on track in advance of a possible peace conference later this fall…
The United States is working to persuade the Israelis and Palestinians to come together around a common document that would launch negotiations to settle longstanding disputes over such thorny issues as the future of Jerusalem and the borders of a Palestinian state.
- Barak, Cheney Discuss Security Issues
- by Yitzhak Benhorin (Ynet)
Defense Minister Ehud Barak met Thursday with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney to discuss the cooperation between the two countries on defense and security issues.
Upon leaving the meeting, Barak said that Israel had no objections to the NIS 2 billion weapons deal that was recently signed between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, and which included the sale of JDAM laser-guided bombs to the Arab country.
- France to Host Donor Conference for Palestinians
- by Reuters
France will host a major donors’ conference for the Palestinian Territories in December, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Wednesday.
The conference, held at the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, aims to mobilize donors to provide political and financial support to the Palestinian Authority after a separate peace conference in the United States, he said. It will be chaired by Kouchner, Middle East envoy and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere.
|
|
As Summit Approaches, World Seeks U.S. Leadership
TODAY'S FEATURE
 Dr. Ziad J. Asali
"The United States will need to exercise deft and sustained diplomacy to reconcile the understandably disparate positions."
|
by Dr. Ziad J. Asali, President & Founder, American Task Force on Palestine, Original Commentary for the Middle East Bulletin Measures of success for the Annapolis summit are important, not simply for “grading” the session, but for setting up a framework to analyze progress moving forward…
Both sides must see on-the-ground changes in the near term, and those changes must be sustained for there to be confidence in the process. Significant majorities among Palestinians and Israelis alike want the conflict to end and support the two-state solution. But Palestinians and Israelis alike also need to see that the daily challenges they face and fears they confront, which they relate to the conflict, are being addressed through this process. Access the full article>>
|
Middle East Analysis
by Daniel Kurtzer, former U.S. ambassador to Egypt and Israel (International Herald Tribune)
As diplomats scramble to piece together the parts of the Middle East peace meeting… one crucial question is getting too little attention: How will success be measured?
The goal is to reach an end of the Arab-Israeli conflict. There is no longer any rationale for attempting partial or interim solutions, which in the past were supposed to build trust but which actually eroded trust and confidence. The process by which to attain this goal is serious, sustained negotiations - bilateral, but accompanied by close and active U.S. involvement. Access the full article>>
by Galia Golan, professor of government at the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya (Bitterlemons)
The entire Arab world has signed on to the 2002 Arab peace initiative, originally proposed by Saudi Arabia and reconfirmed unanimously by the Arab League as recently as March 2007. …
The Arab peace initiative even refines the traditional refugee solution, avoiding direct mention of the "right of return" in favor of a new formulation: an "agreed upon" resolution of the problem. Designed to accommodate Israeli sensitivities, the initiative provides a commitment from the entire Arab world that would render resistance from recalcitrant Palestinian elements such as Hamas difficult if not impossible should actual Israeli agreement be reached to end the occupation. …
The Arab peace incentive, along with Saudi attendance at the conference symbolically representing the Arab League, depend of course on just this: that the conference open a clear, delineated and time-limited negotiating process on all the final status issues, to culminate in the creation of a Palestinian state in the territories equivalent to the 1967 borders. Access the full article>>
by Uzi Benziman (Haaretz)
The picture that emerges from the meetings Rice had is one of division in the Israeli leadership, which is similar to the instability of the Palestinian leadership. The visiting secretary of state may rightly doubt whether Olmert’s leadership abilities, and his ability to deliver the diplomatic goods, are any better than those of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
The emerging government position is different from the message of the last Knesset election. In March 2006, Kadima and Labor presented their constituencies with an attitude on the diplomatic front that challenged the Likud outlook and that of the parties on the right. Kadima under Ariel Sharon was behind the disengagement from the Gaza Strip, and Olmert’s Kadima spoke of giving up most of the territory in the West Bank. Labor under Amir Peretz backed a platform similar to that of Meretz on the peace issue.
These two parties came to the Knesset with 49 MKs, substantially larger than all other factions in the plenum. They have a moral and political mandate to stick to the line on whose basis they sought the backing of the voter - to lead the state toward relinquishing the territories and bring an end to the cancerous conflict with the Palestinians. Access the full article>>
Upcoming Events
Who: New Israel Fund
What: A day-long symposium in New York, a half-day symposium in San Francisco, and evening roundtable events in Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Miami, focusing on a more just, equitable and pluralistic state.
Where and When:
New York – October 21, 2007
Chicago – October 22, 2007
Miami – October 22, 2007
Los Angeles – October 23, 2007
Seattle – October 24, 2007
San Francisco – October 28, 2007
More Information
|
Heard on the Street
R. Nicholas Burns, U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, American Task Force on Palestine Annual Gala, October 17, 2007:
"We continue to encourage both Israel and the Palestinians to meet their obligations under the Roadmap. There is no alternative to progress on the ground. Israel should halt settlement expansion, remove unauthorized outposts, and reduce its footprint in the West Bank. I know the Israelis are serious about peace, but it is important that the Palestinian people know and see that as well.
"The Palestinians have to seriously undertake reforms to show that they can govern themselves and to set up the necessary institutions of their future state. They have to work harder to combat terror and extremism in their communities to prove that a Palestinian state can thrive peacefully alongside its neighbors. …
"We all have a duty to help clarify the way forward and get involved. By supporting the reforms of President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad, we can all help show the world what a Palestinian state will look like and act like, showing that a Palestinian state can be a partner for peace and prosperity in the world."
Background Basics
Date: No official date has been fixed for the summit. Announced by President Bush on July 16, the summit was originally expected to be held in October. Later reports indicated it was tentatively scheduled for November 15, though Secretary Rice this week stated that it will take place sometime in the next two months.
Location: The location for the summit will be the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
Attendees: There have been no invitations issued, but on September 23, Secretary Rice said that it would be “natural” to invite the members of the Arab League follow-up committee, including Syria. However, Syria has said that they will not attend unless the Golan Heights are on the table. The Arab League is asking for guarantees and a timetable for peace talks before they commit to attending.
Agenda: The State Department has yet to specify the official agenda, however, following his October 16 meeting with Secretary Rice, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced that Israel will address core issues, including refugees, Jerusalem, and final borders, in a joint statement with the Palestinians. Previously, Israel had preferred that such a document remain vague, leading to Palestinian warnings that they would not attend the talks without a specific document.
U.S. Preparation:
Secretary Rice has made three trips (in July, September, and October) to the Middle East since announcement of the conference.
National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley will travel to the region next week, followed by Secretary Rice the week after.
Bilateral Israeli-Palestinian Preparation:
Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas have met regularly to prepare for the for the conference, usually in private. While Olmert has said these talks had not led to any breakthroughs, there have been signs of possible compromise on final status issues. For example, Israeli Vice Premier Haim Ramon has included division of Jerusalem in his political agenda and suggested that the capitol will be discussed at Annapolis.
The Israelis and Palestinians have formed their negotiating teams to craft the joint declaration for presentation at the summit. The Israeli team will be led by foreign minister Tzipi Livni and the Palestinian team by former Palestinian Authority prime minister Ahmed Qurei.
Americans for Peace Now Annapolis Countdown
Guide to Preparing International Summits
|
|
Middle East Progress appreciates the support and cooperation of Americans for Peace Now, Geneva Initiative, Israel Policy Forum, and New Israel Fund.
|
|
RSS
Forward
Print