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Last update - 00:00 19/11/2007 It's better to stay home By Yossi Beilin Tags: peace process, Israel  Every beginning driver learns not to enter an intersection unless he knows in advance how to exit it. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is taking Israel to the Annapolis intersection, and if he does not have the determination to continue from there along the route leading to the end of the conflict - he would be better off going into reverse now, and remaining at home. The absence of a discussion on the core issues at Annapolis will leave us stuck in the intersection, exposed to extremists on both sides. The familiar syndrome is recurring: The moment of truth approaches, another opportunity is created, there is a chance of significantly promoting the political process to achieve a historic peace treaty, and then the sides suffer an attack of cold feet. The core issues - Jerusalem, refugees, borders - will be placed on the agenda, they are telling us, but we will not discuss them. On the other hand, we will talk about prisoner releases, checkpoints and the road map. You have to be a real fool to downplay the importance of the Annapolis summit that way. Seven years have passed since the last official meeting in the context of peace negotiations, between representatives of the Israeli government and representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The planned conference - regardless of how much expectations of it are lowered - is not just another summit meeting in a series. This is a historic meeting, in which a failure means a major victory for Hamas, the end of the political career of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), and perhaps a renewed outbreak of violence. Advertisement But suddenly it turns out that in order for it to succeed, the sides have to exchange some of their slogans for a political compromise. They therefore believe that it might be more convenient to return to the warm embrace of "confidence-building measures" instead of dealing with the need to reach historic compromises. This is in spite of the fact that everyone already knows that such measures have failed resoundingly in the past, and only increased the hostility and the feeling that the intentions of the other side are not honest, and that the necessary historic compromises will not cause anyone to fall off his chair - and are uttered in some manner or other by the decision-makers themselves. The three leaders can "leverage" their weakness in the upcoming meeting. They have very little to lose and a great deal to gain. After trying everything - and we have all paid an unnecessary price - they are returning to the year 2000, and they can try to go on from there. President George W. Bush tried democratization and a willingness to integrate Hamas into Palestinian politics, and failed. Olmert tried the unilateral option in Gaza, and failed. Abu Mazen tried a national unity government with Ismail Haniyeh, and failed. This can be their moment of truth. The moment when they say what they have long known. They can agree in Annapolis about the principles of the final-status agreement (the Bush vision, the Clinton plan, the Geneva Initiative, the Ayalon-Nusseibeh plan) and immediately afterward begin negotiations, which will be conducted for several months and end as early as possible, in 2008. The implementation of the agreement should be conditioned on the ability of Palestinian security forces to carry it out, and for this purpose a multinational force can be deployed on the Palestinian side. Virtually the entire Israeli public is ready for a final-status agreement, according to the familiar principles. Virtually the entire Palestinian public supports these principles, according to all of the most recent surveys. Olmert is guaranteed an unprecedented parliamentary majority; more than 65 MKs will support the agreement he will reach. Even if he loses the support of Yisrael Beiteinu and Shas, the Knesset will be with him. In 2009 it will be impossible to return to Annapolis. A new American president will not begin his career with a Middle East summit. Abu Mazen will end his term in January 2009. Whatever is not done now will not be done in the near future. If there is no serious dialogue at this conference about the core issues, and if it does not end with clear guidelines regarding the continuation of the negotiations, it's better to stay home and to try to attain significant achievements in the bilateral talks that began a few months ago. After all, if we really want to solve this accursed problem, we do not need external partners for this purpose. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Signs of al-Qaida Is the global terror network behind the deadly attacks in Mumbai? Denying Nazi links 104-year-old entertainer files lawsuit: It's not my fault Hitler was my fan.   1.   For oncre I agree with this terror enabler...cancel the BS 09:30  |  SLAVO 19/11/07   2.   yossi`s right--better stay at home 09:33  |  charlie jambo 19/11/07   3.   ONLY SOLUTION: GAZA TO EGYPT; PARTS OF W:BANK LINKED TO JORDAN 09:36  |  G. Marcus 19/11/07   4.   acursed problem 09:41  |  Choni Davidowitz 19/11/07   5.   The Opportunity For A Historic Peace Treaty 09:42  |  chet 19/11/07   6.   Beilin better stay home 09:44  |  Jerusalem Jew 19/11/07   7.   KNESSET/SHMESSET,HAMAS/SHMABAS,THERE WILL BE NO PALESTINIAN STATE 09:46  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 19/11/07   8.   On the agenda, kind of ... 09:47  |  Webster 19/11/07   9.   Failure of Annapolis: Palestinian "diarrhea", Israeli "cholera" 09:47  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/11/07   10.   "this accursed problem" 09:49  |  D.R. Zukerman 19/11/07   11.   70% Kosher? 09:55  |  Curious 19/11/07   12.   Reply to Chet in Canada (Post No. 5) 09:57  |  Johnny Weintraub 19/11/07   13.   #3 The Palestinian State 10:04  |  D.R. Zukerman 19/11/07   14.   Better Stay home 10:07  |  David 19/11/07   15.   REPLY #7 10:13  |  VOICE OF REALITY 19/11/07   16.   STAY HOME? WHAT HOME? 10:14  |  indrajaya 19/11/07   17.   We should go 10:20  |  Dr Eric 19/11/07   18.   there will be no meating of the minds 10:27  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/11/07   19.   Better for PM and Abbas to meet over Shisha 10:54  |  El-Birawi 19/11/07   20.   Beilin is right 10:54  |  Eli 19/11/07   21.   Cipora #18 11:13  |  S 19/11/07   22.   n.y zukerman 11:22  |  rashi 19/11/07   23.   #21, S 11:27  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/11/07   24.   WHY IS IT AN ACURSED PROBLEM ?? 11:31  |  Bill 19/11/07   25.   Swiss antisemite 11:35  |  Melissa 19/11/07   26.   ABBAS SHOULD STAY IN US FOR ASYLUM 11:40  |  indrajaya 19/11/07   27.   beilin-relentlessly naive&optimistic 11:43  |  yes but why 19/11/07   28.   #25, Melissa, his meaning is very clear 11:44  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/11/07   29.   #24 11:44  |  GPWS1 19/11/07   30.   Beilin,there will not be any progress without the PLO Declaration 11:47  |  lakshmi 19/11/07   31.   We wana visit Annapolis , do some shopping for Hannukah 11:48  |  Joseph E . 19/11/07   32.   Iranian problem must be solved before Hamastan 12:03  |  Jonathan S 19/11/07   33.   Annapolis or bust 12:09  |  Proud Israeli 19/11/07   34.   Cipora 12:22  |  Melissa 19/11/07   35.   Israel should give and give and the Palestinians take and take.. 12:28  |  Daniel 19/11/07   36.   Re Cipora et al 12:34  |  Esther 19/11/07   37.   Traffic Circle 12:51  |  Klaudia 19/11/07   38.   Annapolis Postponed Due to Illness 13:03  |  Klaudia 19/11/07   39.   # 23 Miss Cipora is asking S a question........ 13:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/11/07   40.   Nice analogy Klaudia, but SUCH confusion 13:48  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 19/11/07   41.   Haifa-based #22 14:00  |  D.R. Zukerman 19/11/07   42.   Yossi is basically correct, except that this meeting is crucial! 15:17  |  Ivar 19/11/07   43.   n.y zukerman 15:21  |  shotte 19/11/07   44.   60 years of failing to observe the mandate terms 15:29  |  victor hardman 19/11/07   45.   rightists just wanna have fun 15:46  |  per freud 19/11/07   46.   #9 Swiss failure 15:53  |  Petra 19/11/07   47.   $5 LIARS? TRY MUSLIMS, PALS, ETC. 15:54  |  Petra 19/11/07   48.   hardman harris 15:58  |  i to i 19/11/07   49.   #36 Esther, just sit on it, DON`T GIVE IT AWAY 16:00  |  Petra 19/11/07   50.   #39 re: Esther Probably named Mohammed 16:05  |  Petra 19/11/07   51.   ISRAEL STAY HOME AND JUST SAY NO. 16:08  |  Petra 19/11/07   52.   Petra in general = peculiar... 16:11  |  Esther 19/11/07   53.   #42 Ivar re: Existential moment 16:33  |  Boycott 19/11/07   54.   To Margie # 40 Thnx for Bringing the Traffic Circle to Life 16:40  |  Klaudia 19/11/07   55.   So who`s bringing? 16:42  |  Mark Lincoln 19/11/07   56.   #38 Klaudia 16:47  |  Boycott 19/11/07   57.   Sometimes 16:57  |  Danite 19/11/07   58.   #38 Klaudia 17:14  |  tbora 19/11/07   59.   To Boycott... Erekat`s a Loose Cannon ! 17:18  |  Klaudia 19/11/07   60.   #59 Klaudia 17:34  |  Boycott 19/11/07   61.   Only the US can cancel Annapolis 17:52  |  Tosefta 19/11/07   62.   What "Familiar Principles" Are Those, Mr. Beilin? 17:54  |  Jeff Northridge 19/11/07   63.   agree with G.Marcus 18:16  |  khairi janbek 19/11/07   64.   Beilin is right this time 18:31  |  Hilda 19/11/07   65.   Olmert, better just stay on your path.... 18:33  |  Smadar 19/11/07   66.   # 34 Melissa had a little chat with Cipora this morning..... 18:38  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/11/07   67.   Anapolis is a Waste at This Time 18:48  |  Moshe 19/11/07   68.   SCRAP ANNAPOLIS:ELECTIONS NOW:ARREST OLMERT: 18:50  |  J.Ailhim 19/11/07   69.   # 46 Petra and the "he,he...factor"...... 18:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/11/07   70.   Jeff Northridge #62 19:10  |  Polybios 19/11/07   71.   For Cipora Julianna Kohn # 18 19:16  |  Fortuna Benmayor 19/11/07   72.   Palestine Basic Law, article 4 19:16  |  Polybios 19/11/07   73.   Lie upon lie from a paid arab stooge Beilin 19:28  |  Absolute Sweden 19/11/07   74.   wow ... let`s try shisha. To Klaudia 19:34  |  Nick 19/11/07   75.   #72 Polybios 19:42  |  Boycott 19/11/07   76.   Last chance to lose the war? 20:06  |  Per 19/11/07   77.   ZIONIST LEADERS PLAYING WITH FIRE 20:16  |  TrippleJump 19/11/07   78.   The past 60 years #43 20:21  |  D.R. Zukerman 19/11/07   79.   Israel has no strategy for peace & the day after. 21:57  |  Akram Zekaria 19/11/07   80.   #66 Swiss Dino re Melissa 22:38  |  Labhras the Irishman 19/11/07   81.   Yossi, I don`t believe you for a second 22:58  |  Gilad 19/11/07   82.   Cipora..Cipora.. 23:00  |  Akram Zekaria 19/11/07   83.   TRIPPLE-JUMP 23:13  |  gaoni 19/11/07   84.   bronx zukerman 23:20  |  shotte 19/11/07   85.   # 80 Labhras 23:55  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/11/07   86.   Beilin - The Little Fraudster Is Still Giving Advice 00:09  |  Tod Zuckerman 20/11/07   87.   The Left is Scared the Summit Will Succeed 02:44  |  Jane 20/11/07   88.   MOSHIACH WARNED PM SHAMIR THAT PA TALKS WILL RESULT IN CASUALTIES 02:51  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 20/11/07   89.   G. Marcus and imposing solutions 02:56  |  Truth 20/11/07   90.   Tosefta - the flushing sound 03:24  |  Mark Lincoln 20/11/07   91.   #87 Mark Lincoln - you mean all this diplomatic effort will go... 05:02  |  Smadar 20/11/07   92.   Mark Lincoln. Mission Accomplish 05:10  |  Akram Zekaria 20/11/07   93.   Culpability to consider now? #84 06:31  |  D.R. Zukerman 20/11/07   94.   It`s the process that counts, not the result! 07:03  |  Voice of Reason 20/11/07   95.   Indrajaya 08:01  |  Aline 20/11/07   96.   a "historic"opportunity for a Peace treaty 08:11  |  Aline 20/11/07   97.   The endless Israeli - Palestinian conflict should be resolved 08:15  |  Unbiased well-wisher 20/11/07   98.   CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MAY BE THE LAST HOPE !! 08:40  |  Jaques Escargot 20/11/07

Read & React Conflicting reports emerge on release of Mumbai Chabad center hostages Responses: 107 Mazuz: Olmert indictment possible in Rishon Tours scandal Responses: 45 Ari Shavit: While the Palestinian track fails, let's focus on Syria Responses: 36 Israel Harel: Defense establishment gives enemy hope that Israel's end is near Responses: 39 More Headlines 00:22 Reports differ over release of Mumbai Chabad center captives 02:08 Yossi Melman / Is al-Qaida behind the Mumbai terror attacks? 02:21 India declines Israeli offers of help in Mumbai 01:09 IN PICTURES / Mumbai ravaged by deadly terror attacks 22:35 European powers: Iran showing 'utter disrespect' for UN nuclear watchdog 20:58 104-year-old entertainer files lawsuit: It's not my fault Hitler was my fan 17:14 Pope to make rare visit to Israel in May, following months of Jewish-Catholic tension 00:16 Belgian public broadcaster cancels ad that featured Hitler as a stripper 00:32 'I just grabbed the baby and ran,' says Mumbai Chabad employee 23:31 Body of one-day-old baby found in Be'er Sheva dumpster 01:14 Norwegian ex-premier counters anti-Semitism accusations, slams Israel 15:24 Iran missile launch into space was 'publicity stunt,' Israeli experts say 22:52 Ministers and policymakers approve plan to combat economic crisis 16:03 Ultra-Orthodox MK Ravitz announces retirement from Knesset 04:25 IDF rejects claims it killed Palestinians in defiance of court 10:01 Court ruling sees IDF targeted assassinations as last resort Previous Editions Select Day 27 nov 26 nov 25 nov 24 nov 23 nov 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 17 nov 16 nov 14 nov

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