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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 14:22 16/10/2007 Rice's visit / In the shadow of MLK By Aluf Benn Tags: Martin Luther King, diplomacy  When Condoleezza Rice talks about the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel, she sees in her mind's eye the struggle of African Americans for equal rights, which culminated in the period of her Alabama childhood. Rice is very aware of political sensitivity, and avoids making such comparisons in public speeches and interviews, where she keeps to the official list of talking points. But in private, she talks about the One can guess that the settlements, the checkpoints and the separation fences created by Israel on the West Bank bring back unpleasant memories of Jim Crow racial separation in the South. Her empathy for the suffering of the Palestinians under occupation goes beyond the strict interests of the administration in promoting the status of the United States in the Middle East and has the touch of her personal experience. Advertisement Rice was one year old when Rosa Parks, a heroine of the struggle for equal rights in the U.S., refused to yield her seat on a city bus to a white passenger. This was in Montgomery, Alabama, a 90-minute ride from Titusville, the Birmingham suburb where the future secretary of state was raised. Rosa Parks' "No" catalyzed the struggle against Jim Crow and brought to greatness a young minister who had recently become co-pastor of Birmingham's Ebenezer Baptist Church, Martin Luther King, Jr. For Rice, King's greatness lay in his insistence on nonviolent public protest, even when the mood in America was on fire. King's life was ended by an assassin's bullet, but the mass movement that he led earned impressive achievements. Rice's impressive career expressed the new opportunities that were opened to young African Americans in the wake of the struggle of their parents' generation in the 1950s and 1960s. Now, Rice is comparing Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his prime minister, Salam Fayad, to Martin Luther King. Abbas is committed to the struggle for Palestinian independence, and like Abbas he is opposed to terror and violence. Just as Tony Blair, the Quartet envoy and former British prime minister, compares the Israeli-Palestinian conflict tothe conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, so does Rice recall the struggle for civil rights in the United States when she speaks about the Palestinian boy who needs new hope instead of aspiring to commit a suicide attack. Rice's current visit to the Middle East is one of the most important in her term as secretary of state, perhaps the most important. She wants to leave Jerusalem in two days with an understanding of the nature of the joint Israeli-Palestinian declaration that will be presented in the run-up to the Annapolis summit next month. Even before she left Washington she knew the parties were cooking up a crisis for her: the Palestinians with rigid demands, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with a demonstration of political weakness. But Rice cannot back out: She persuaded President George W. Bush to announce the summit on July 16, and now she has to produce results. Critics say the summit is premature and has created unrealistic expectations that are sure to be dashed. If she fails,Hamas could bring down Abbas and take control of the West Bank. The blame would be laid at Rice's door. The Americans want the summit to start on November 26, two weeks later than originally planned because of the difficulty in formulating the joint declaration. The latest acceptable period is the first week of December. Invitations will not be sent out until Abbas and Olmert can agree on the agenda. The potential guest list includes the members of the G-8, the Quartet, the Arab League Monitoring Committee (including Syria), other Arab states and Muslim states such as Turkey. Washington currently does not believe that Saudi Arabia will come because the declaration of principles shaping up will not meet its minimum demands. But the door is still open because their attendance is very important to Olmert. Rice is maintaining a high profile on this visit, meeting with important cabinet ministers and giving an interview to Channel 1 Television. Tonight she will play hostess for about 20 respected Israeli figures at a rare dinner. There is no doubt that she wants to draw her own impressions of the political situation in Israel, or at least to appear interested and ready to listen. Bookmark to del.icio.us Do Jews have a say? How much influence should Diaspora Jews have over Israel's decision? Nixon's nuke concern Former U.S. president feared Israeli nukes would spark an arms race.   1.   Rice´s Don Quijote-fight 15:44  |  Hard Talk 16/10/07   2.   Martin Luther King supported Israel 16:14  |  Meir Weinstein 16/10/07   3.   # 2 Are you kidding ? 16:28  |  Sander 16/10/07   4.   #3 you must be kidding 16:58  |  jay 16/10/07   5.   what arab nazi connection? 17:00  |  mazen 16/10/07   6.   Not a good comparison 18:20  |  Sam 16/10/07   7.   #5 - mazen 18:25  |  MichaelF 16/10/07   8.   If you needed more proof that Condi Rice is an idiot 18:27  |  MichaelF 16/10/07   9.   Re#3 the Mufti of Jerusalem worked with Hitler 18:31  |  Meir Weinstein 16/10/07   10.   Ferenc Deak 1803-1876 18:44  |  A Role Model 16/10/07   11.   Meir Weinstein - There is no justification 19:09  |  Man 16/10/07   12.   jay - wrong 19:11  |  Man 16/10/07   13.   Meir Weinstein 19:12  |  Man 16/10/07   14.   the shadow 20:07  |  Shmuelshachor 16/10/07   15.   #11 - Man 20:41  |  MichaelF 16/10/07   16.   MichaelF 20:59  |  Man 16/10/07   17.   US/Rice Breaks Laws Against RACISM to DESTROY Jews` HUMAN RIGHTS 21:08  |  Linda Rivera 16/10/07   18.   US/EU Rice DESTROYING HUMAN RIGHTS of Jews & Christians (2) 21:15  |  Linda Rivera 16/10/07   19.   Re#13 Man 21:39  |  Meir Weinstein 16/10/07   20.   To No Two 21:50  |  Abe 16/10/07   21.   Meir Weinstein 22:38  |  Man 16/10/07   22.   MLK on Israel 22:58  |  Alex 16/10/07   23.   how naive and unformed she is. unbelievable 00:03  |  ralph 17/10/07   24.   All bumph 01:06  |  Colin Wright 17/10/07   25.   Secretary Rice Diplomacy 03:12  |  JULIUS ROMANOFF 17/10/07   26.   Selling us the Brooklyn Bridge 03:26  |  The Other Alan 17/10/07   27.   don`t part 03:49  |  maria 17/10/07   28.   This comment goes before #18 - Destruction of Human RIGHTS 04:58  |  Linda Rivera 17/10/07   29.   #22 Dr. King was a Wonderful Person-the Exact OPPOSITE of Rice 05:18  |  Linda Rivera 17/10/07   30.   ARAB NATZI CONNECTION 10:21  |  AVROHOM BILGREI 17/10/07   31.   "MAN",WHY DON`T YOU TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY? 10:29  |  AVROHOM BILGREI 17/10/07   32.   Muslims allies of Hitler 13:35  |  Petra 17/10/07   33.   #9 Meir don`t confuse the arabs with facts, it might confuse them 13:38  |  Petra 17/10/07   34.   #11 Meir Weinstein is 100% right on You`re still lying 13:44  |  Petra 17/10/07   35.   MLK on Israel 13:55  |  Petra 17/10/07   36.   # 27 Maria WE CAN MOVE THE DOME EASY. 13:58  |  Petra 17/10/07   37.   #25 Rice is a slave to Oil $$$$ 14:00  |  Petra 17/10/07   38.   #16 -- Man 14:05  |  MichaelF 17/10/07   39.   GOOD! Jews SHOULD HAVE REMEMBERED A Few Things Too! 16:09  |  Proud Pal Defender 17/10/07   40.   Rice only cares about Rice 16:36  |  L A 17/10/07   41.   #2 Meir--Use Some INTELLIGENCE! MLK Wouldn`t Support Oppression. 17:00  |  Proud Pal Defender 17/10/07   42.   #29 17:30  |  Alex 17/10/07   43.   petra 32 19:17  |  realism 17/10/07   44.   Petra - you are too funny 19:26  |  Man 17/10/07   45.   Maria 19:28  |  Man 17/10/07   46.   Insulting African-Americans who never put on a suicide belt 19:44  |  Polybios 17/10/07   47.   Martin Luther King was a Christian Zionist 20:05  |  Briton 17/10/07   48.   Re proud pal--You have nothing to be proud of 21:12  |  Meir Weinstein 17/10/07   49.   Mazen, let me quote convicted SS leader Dieter Wisliceny 21:32  |  Jake 17/10/07   50.   Many Arabs called Hitler "Abu Ali" 21:37  |  Jake 17/10/07   51.   Rice, Historically Clueless? 22:33  |  Yoram 17/10/07   52.   Jake you got it right 00:04  |  Historian 18/10/07   53.   The "rigid demands" of Palestinians 02:40  |  peacelover 18/10/07   54.   God is tired... 14:46  |  Said 18/10/07   55.   Palestinian Authority has its roots in Nazism 06:29  |  Randy 25/10/07   56.   Where is "Salaam Now"? 18:52  |  Asher Anzel Duvid 25/10/07   57.   Meir Weinstein on the Mufti of Jerusalem 07:54  |  Grif 30/11/07   58.   Michael F.on SA Jews 07:59  |  Grif 30/11/07   59.   Jake on the Mufti - nuts 08:22  |  Grif 30/11/07   60.   MichaelF -Two can play this game 08:33  |  Grif 30/11/07

Today Online Olmert to Haaretz: Two-state solution, or Israel is finished Responses: 508 Algerian minister: Sarkozy in power thanks to Jewish lobby Responses: 193 Rice said to compare life in U.S. south to Palestinians' plight Responses: 219 Report: Nixon feared Israeli nukes would spur arms race Responses: 98 Debate rages on World Jewry's role in peace concessions Responses: 106 More Headlines 04:34 Washington: No place yet for Syria in peace process 03:43 U.S. introduces UN resolution endorsing Israel-PA peace deal 07:54 Blair: There won't be Palestinian state unless it is coherently run 05:13 Report warns against proposal for funding of W. Bank outposts 07:57 Romanian Jewish groups, anti-Semites reportedly join forces 01:51 Abbas: Now is the moment of truth for Palestinian statehood 06:28 Detroit man pleads guilty to charges of bid to aid Hezbollah 06:58 Tourism Ministry to kick off plan to make sites accessible to disabled 05:57 Justice Minister: More defense lawyers will be made judges Previous Editions Select Day 29 nov 28 nov 27 nov 26 nov 25 nov 23 nov 22 nov 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 16 nov

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