The Annapolis dictionary: P is for photo-op

Abbas, Mahmoud: The man of the hour. If you trust him, you'd support the effort. If you think he is a weak leader, you'll be much more suspicious. Read Trusting Abbas. Again.

Bush, George W.: Does he believe there is a chance Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas pulls the Palestinian wagon out of the mud? It is enough for him that Rice believes it, as I wrote here.

Clintons, The: If Annapolis fails, who is the most likely candidate to try and pick up the pieces a year and a half from now?

Damascus: Syria does not like to see the train moving forward without any regard to the Israeli-Syrian track. If it does not join the meeting, it will be a spoiler. Note: The showdown in Lebanon will reach its crucial moment a day or two before Annapolis.

Expectations, Realistic: Israel's Shaul Mofaz was in Washington this week for the traditional strategic dialogue, repeating the mantra that everybody - except for the Palestinians - has kept singing in the last couple of weeks. The mantra of "realistic expectations" really means low expectations in most cases and no expectations in Mofaz' case. You can read PA eyes final accord within 6 months of summit.

Final Status: Some think that completing the talks over final status issues in half a year is impossible. I think it's irrelevant. What's important today is not talks and agreements, but rather the ability to implement them. Tony Blair said this week: "Land for peace is not really the issue; or at least, of course it is the issue, but it is not the stumbling block any more." (I was harsh on him a couple of months ago: See Why Tony Blair is the wrong man for the job)

Gaza: It's not an elephant, but rather a mammoth. It's not in the room, but rather fills the room. Read Aluf Benn's And after Annapolis, Gaza?.

Hamas/Hezbollah: The warning sign hanging over Gaza says: Don't let Hamas empower itself to the point where it becomes too complicated to uproot it. See Reservists: Hamas fights like an army.

Illegal outposts: If the Road Map is the way ahead, Israel will also need to prove that it can fulfill its obligations. As much as the Palestinians would like to see settlements being evacuated, it's much too early to discuss it at this point. However, kicking out the bandits that were building illegally in the West Bank is an obvious start. Read

Jerusalem: See Final Status.

Qassam: See Hezbollah/Hamas. One Qassam at the wrong time in the wrong place can turn this whole conference into a nightmare.

Lobby, Jewish: Rice is scheduled to appear before the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations next week. Most groups which comprise the lobby are willing to support the effort, but remain skeptical. See Should American Jews have a voice in shaping Israel's policies?

Mubarak, Hosni: Egypt keeps dragging it's feet when it comes to preventing the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip. They don't want to pick a fight with Hamas, they don't want to be stuck with Gaza. Read Egypt: IDF soldiers are aiding arms smuggling to Gaza Strip.

Nablus: The Palestinian Authority is taking over the city, and will be tested. Can it deliver? That's the real question looming over this renewed peace process. Read my article: Running with Rice's clock

Olmert, Ehud: The speech he made early this week ("We have a partner") was impressive, but there are those in his own cabinet as well as those in the Bush administration who are not quite sure yet about his real intentions.

Photo-Op: "We frankly have better things to do than invite people to Annapolis for a photo op," said Condi Rice a couple of weeks ago. But this is what Annapolis is all about: photo-op. Abbas and Olmert can keep negotiating without it, the Arabs can give support if they choose to do so. The ceremony is - well - a ceremony.

Quartet: "The November conference will attempt to revive the moribund Quartet Roadmap laid out by the United States, UN, European Union, and Russia in 2003, with particular focus on the plan's first phase: cooperative on-the-ground action by both sides to improve Palestinian security and curb Israeli settlement activity, among other issues." Read David Makovsky.

Rice, Condoleezza: Everything I had to say about her ambitious journey to Annapolis is in this article: Announcing Annapolis was a mistake.

Saudi Arabia: Will the Saudis come? In the U.S. the assumption is now that they would not want to insult the President by not attending. Maybe they will just not send Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, and use ambassador Adel al-Jubeir instead. No royal blood, so he can shake hands with Israelis (or at least smile).

Tehran: Read Annapolis - The summit of all fears.

Unilateral: The withdrawal from Gaza was a mistake, said former Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer. The withdrawal from the West Bank, promised by Olmert before the election, is no longer an option. The key is to have someone to whom one can give the keys.

Virtual: Here is the line the opposition will be using when Annapolis takes place: "Making peace with a virtual partner, in a virtual reality." (Likud's Binyamin Netanyahu, Tuesday)

Winograd: Once upon a time it was assumed that Olmert, awaiting the investigative Winograd committee report, can not negotiate because he was too weak. Then it was assumed that he only needs the peace process as a means with which to escape the verdict of the Winograd committee. Both assumptions can be now thrown away.

Xmas: What comes right after Annapolis and before the last Bush year. His last chance to bring about the Palestinian state he kept promising. "The day after" Annapolis, Rice said Sunday, would be the first day of direct negotiations toward Palestinian statehood.

Yishai, Eli: Shas is always the key to the Israeli coalition. The head of the party says that the mere mention of Jerusalem will make him leave the government. On the other hand, the fact that he is still there is a sign: Israel did not yet make any real concessions.

Zero sum game: "There is a common goal for this dialogue which is based on the vision of two states - Jewish and Palestinian - each giving the only and complete answer to the national aspirations of its own people. Two states living side by side in peace and security. This vision is no longer a zero sum game". (Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni speaking in China)