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The importance of a failed summit
By Gideon Levy
Tags: Annapolis

Do not belittle the Annapolis summit. Despite all the prophecies of failure, justified as they are, this summit could still make an important contribution to the history of Israeli-Arab negotiations: For the first time, it will become crystal-clear who aspires toward peace and, more important, who flees from it as if from fire.

Israel is going to Annapolis as if by force. The prime minister's hands are tied. If he were to dare to raise the core issues, which are the only thing to be discussed there, then his political fate would be sealed. Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu have already announced that in such an event, they will bring down his government. One can assume that Ehud Olmert, the survivor, is aware of this danger. Despite the lofty agreements that he will achieve - or not, it will seem as if his biweekly talks with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas never took place. Eli Yishai won't permit it, Avigdor Lieberman is making threats and even Ehud Barak is making sour faces. An Israel that refuses to discuss the core issues is an Israel that does not want peace. There's no other way to put it.

All this is made even more serious by the context in which the summit is being held: Israel never had as few excuses for evading progress toward peace, the ambient climate was never more conducive to progress. The terror card cannot be played again, because the terror has abated. Qassams landing on Sderot and a childish assassination attempt are not a reason to evade the peace process. This low level of terror will, unfortunately, continue to accompany Israeli-Palestinian relations for years to come. We must learn to live with it, and above all recognize that it will not stop in the absence of an agreement that will put an end to the occupation.
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There is more. The security issue is much greater today on the Palestinian side. Israel can no longer continue to mouth slogans about security, after seven years in which it killed 4,267 Palestinians, 861 of them children and teens, in comparison to 467 Israelis who were killed, according to data from B'Tselem.

Another excuse that no longer washes is the "no partner" one. Israel has never had an easier peace partner than Mahmoud Abbas. True, he represents barely half the Palestinian people - Olmert represents an even smaller proportion - and true, it would be preferable if the Palestinian team going to Annapolis were to include Hamas, but that is no reason not to try. We destroyed Yasser Arafat as a partner - and the time has come to regret it - but we can no longer use the weakness of his successor as an excuse: Israel did all it could to create that situation. The Arab world, too, is more open to Israel and to peace than ever. Israel is methodically destroying the Arab League's resolution and the Saudi peace plan, but they are still on the table and sending out an unprecedented message of hope to Israel.

The real role of the United States will also be exposed at the summit: No other agent is as capable of making as great a contribution to advancing peace in the region as is Washington, but in the absence of any pressure on Israel, the sad impression is that even the Americans will not go out of their way to achieve peace. Annapolis is shaping up as no more than a perfunctory gesture from America. We tried, the Americans will say. But, of course, it is not a genuine attempt.

All the cards will be shown at Annapolis, and that is no small thing. The world will see and judge, Israelis will see and decide: Do we genuinely want peace?
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  1.   GIDEON LEVY IS AN IDIOT WHO DOESNT 09:21  |  THE LIBRARIAN 29/10/07
  2.   NOT TO EXPOSE IT, BUT TO CONFIRM IT 09:41  |  indrajaya 29/10/07
  3.   Levy lied 09:45  |  Leah 29/10/07
  4.   Fine lets put the cards on the table... 09:50  |  David G 29/10/07
  5.   AL TZVEISTEIN 10:04  |  Yitz 29/10/07
  6.   Yet an other fairy tale by Gideon!! 10:06  |  Moshe 29/10/07
  7.   CORE issue."Israel will exist till destroyed by Islam" Hamas 10:12  |  PETER S .M. 29/10/07
  8.   Is this person insane? 10:15  |  Shalom Freedman 29/10/07
  9.   Splendid article. Really, quite splendid. 10:15  |  Johnboy 29/10/07
  10.   For AL #3: Returning "lost" property... 10:25  |  Esther 29/10/07
  11.   Right 10:28  |  stonebird 29/10/07
  12.   Dr. Dino / Israel or how I learned to love the excuses...... 10:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/10/07
  13.   After Oslo we got the intifada 10:48  |  Zev 29/10/07
  14.   Levy is quite simply right 10:50  |  henon 29/10/07
  15.   #9, Johnboy 10:51  |  Anton 29/10/07
  16.   Abu Gihad Levy words are pretext for contentions in order 10:51  |  Joseph E . 29/10/07
  17.   If I were an Israeli Id be grabbing this chance with both hands 10:56  |  SD 29/10/07
  18.   Gideon Levy 11:05  |  Ralph 29/10/07
  19.   Levy supports killing Israelis 11:14  |  Leah 29/10/07
  20.   NO SUCH THING AS "PALS"PEOPLE 11:17  |  THE LIBRARIAN 29/10/07
  21.   Of course,Videogameboy and his ilk liked the article 11:20  |  Hastaroth 29/10/07
  22.   It`s harsh, but largely true. 11:20  |  Michael 29/10/07
  23.   The Same Old Very Tired Twisted Willfully Obtuse Spin, SO obvious 11:22  |  Pavel 29/10/07
  24.   I am fed up 11:22  |  Ron 29/10/07
  25.   For Peter SM 11:24  |  Hastaroth 29/10/07
  26.   A Scheme from the Start 11:29  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/10/07
  27.   Why is an Israeli paper trying to `expose` Israel with lies? 11:31  |  Steve Randolph 29/10/07
  28.   israel is scared of peace 11:34  |  ravi 29/10/07
  29.   Hey Levy, Arafat`s intifadas and terrorism destroyed Arafat 11:35  |  Steve Randolph 29/10/07
  30.   Casualties 11:44  |  Gideon Levy 29/10/07
  31.   #22 Michael in UK 11:48  |  Hastaroth 29/10/07
  32.   MICHAEL"Sure, they claim all of the Palestine mandate----" 11:51  |  PETER S.M. 29/10/07
  33.   #22 Michael in the UK-part II 11:51  |  Hastaroth 29/10/07
  34.   The ugly face of zionism! 11:52  |  lakshmi 29/10/07
  35.   Leah 11:53  |  Anne 29/10/07
  36.   Hastarot Israel haters will never admit to the Pal.agenda 11:57  |  PETER S.M. 29/10/07
  37.   No, Leah, thats not it at all #19 12:03  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/10/07
  38.   After Oslo we got the intifada, but more fun to be... 12:04  |  kiefko 29/10/07
  39.   For Steve Randolph about Haaretz 12:06  |  Jonathan S 29/10/07
  40.   A Palestinian Voice 12:11  |  Hannah 29/10/07
  41.   G.Levy@30"fatalities" Isn`t it better to do your research FIRST? 12:13  |  PETER.SM 29/10/07
  42.   Peter SM, core issue: Israel will exist, G-D destroy Islam 12:23  |  mary for jews 29/10/07
  43.   Hastaroth, stop spewing hatred and think 12:32  |  Michael 29/10/07
  44.   Levy & his true colours 12:35  |  Moshele N 29/10/07
  45.   Hastaroth. You`re just confirming my point. 12:36  |  Michael 29/10/07
  46.   I am repulsed on gideon Levy days, and avoid haaretz like refuse. 12:37  |  Mitch Iginer 29/10/07
  47.   PETER SM political Islam was irrelevant before Afghanistan. 12:45  |  Michael 29/10/07
  48.   For Mitch #46 12:54  |  Esther 29/10/07
  49.   The ME doesn`t need Annapolis, it needs a Truth Commission. 13:02  |  Michael 29/10/07
  50.   The cards are already on the table 13:02  |  Axel 29/10/07
  51.   MICHAEL.The Saudi peace plan added(under pressure) the right of - 13:09  |  PETER S.M. 29/10/07
  52.   The only "core issue" that matter is whether the Palestinians 13:28  |  Rachel 29/10/07
  53.   Definition Of "Idiot" 13:28  |  Noah Webster 29/10/07
  54.   RE: Levy supports killing Israelis 13:30  |  J 29/10/07
  55.   more games of let us pretend it will work 13:33  |  victor hardman 29/10/07
  56.   @43, michael, read the bible, idiot 14:16  |  vladimir 29/10/07
  57.   The importance of a failed summit 14:22  |  Michael Sijes 29/10/07
  58.   Peter SM and false propoganda 14:27  |  Truths 29/10/07
  59.   Peter SM and false propoganda 14:27  |  Truths 29/10/07
  60.   # 56 vladimir 14:29  |  Axel 29/10/07
  61.   hastaroth and nationhood 14:30  |  Truths 29/10/07
  62.   Annapolis Summit 14:30  |  Cyasher 29/10/07
  63.   Seems That Voices Are Raised Against Him Are Panicking 14:31  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/10/07
  64.   Levy under-estimates propoganda power 14:35  |  Truth 29/10/07
  65.   Vladimir, try thoughts instead of insults 56 14:41  |  Michael 29/10/07
  66.   Rachel # 52. You hit the nail on its head, Rachel 14:47  |  Tzipi 29/10/07
  67.   N Cyashar, I dont thin Johnboy wishes that at all #62 14:49  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/10/07
  68.   #9 Johnboy 14:55  |  europamedical 29/10/07
  69.   Axelchen,pals demand return of "refugees".Is Germany demanding 14:57  |  Absolute Sweden 29/10/07
  70.   # 19 Leah..Levy supports killing Israelis..Yes! 15:03  |  Kathy 29/10/07
  71.   why should israel have a desire for peace if the arabs dont!?!? 15:03  |  SHIMON 29/10/07
  72.   why should israel have a desire for peace if the arabs dont!?!? 15:06  |  SHIMON 29/10/07
  73.   Sullivan and Indijara...what makes u think the arabs want peace?! 15:07  |  SHIMON 29/10/07
  74.   The arabs have NEVER proven they want peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 15:09  |  SHIMON 29/10/07
  75.   # 8 Shalom Freedman .Is this person insane? 15:11  |  Kathy 29/10/07
  76.   The arabs have NEVER proven they want peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 15:12  |  SHIMON 29/10/07
  77.   The arabs have NEVER proven they want peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 15:12  |  SHIMON 29/10/07
  78.   gideon levy 15:17  |  ramshorn 29/10/07
  79.   Surely it`s about mutual recognition Tzipi and Rachel. 15:21  |  Michael 29/10/07
  80.   Levy on Abbas and the core issue 15:21  |  Jonathan S 29/10/07
  81.   Israel only knows war & occupation 15:24  |  POP