Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., November 27, 2007 Kislev 17, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:04 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Mahmoud Abbas (C), Arab League head Amr Moussa (R) and Saudi Arabia's al-Faisal (L) at the Arab League meeting in Cairo Friday. (Reuters) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 08:48 25/11/2007 ANALYSIS / Attendance of Arab FMs is first victory of Annapolis By Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Saudi Arabia, Syria  A phone call by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to her Saudi counterpart, Saud al-Faisal, apparently persuaded the Arab foreign ministers to attend Annapolis. The key was her promise that the Golan Heights would be on the agenda. Damascus is still refusing to commit, but that is no longer important: Even if Syria stays away, it will now be violating the Arab consensus, which has given its imprimatur to Annapolis. The Arab states' agreement to send their foreign ministers is the first American success of the much-criticized conference. But this was not merely a gesture to U.S. President George Bush; it reflects a two-pronged Arab strategy. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan object to Bush's division of the Middle East into moderate and radical states; they are also no longer willing to leave the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to Washington and Jerusalem. Thus the main question at last week's meeting of Arab foreign ministers was what would they gain, or lose, by sending high-level representatives to Annapolis. The minus side was the risk of granting high-profile Arab support to a failed conference, as well as a seal of approval to the internal Palestinian split between Fatah and Hamas. On the plus side, argued supporters of attending, their presence would help ensure that any Israeli-Palestinian agreement conforms to the Arab peace initiative, which Bush cited in his speech announcing the conference. Advertisement Even more important, however, the Arab states needed to ensure that Syria was included, because they - and especially Saudi Arabia - need Syrian help to resolve the crisis in Lebanon. As a bonus, Syria's inclusion helps blur the American distinction between moderate and radical states; it also creates a linkage between the Palestinian and Syrian tracks. Bush and Rice scored a victory with the Arab foreign ministers' agreement to attend. The question is whether they will follow this with further diplomatic action after the conference, or whether they intend to rest on their laurels. If the latter, the U.S. will have trouble mobilizing Arab support of its interests in the future - not only on the Israeli-Palestinian front, but also in Iraq and Lebanon Bookmark to del.icio.us The IDF's dilemna To what extent should the IDF subdue its West Bank and Gaza actions in coming days? Not one inch Hamas says they will reject any deals made by Abbas in Annapolis.   1.   What is the price oil? 03:42  |  Wendy 25/11/07   2.   annapolis 04:20  |  Shmuelshachor 25/11/07   3.   You no playa da game, you no maka da rules 04:26  |  Dr. L. Brnd 25/11/07   4.   SOME COMMENTS ON ANNAPOLIS 05:13  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 25/11/07   5.   will Olmert side w/Bush, or Livini & Labor? 05:16  |  DrSteveB 25/11/07   6.   US BOUGHT SAUDI PARTICIPATION 05:48  |  Arik Silverman 25/11/07   7.   #6 Arik Silverman 06:17  |  Smadar 25/11/07   8.   Jordan, Jordan, Jordan 06:32  |  Geoff 25/11/07   9.   Aren`t the Saudis Too Busy Beating Rape Victims to Death? 06:32  |  Straight Talk 25/11/07   10.   Israel`s true intentions are about to be revealed to the world 06:33  |  Charlie 25/11/07   11.   Next victory will be liquidation sale of Israel 06:59  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/11/07   12.   No Ghost in the machine 07:29  |  Fahmi Natour 25/11/07   13.   Sunnis attend Annapolis to counter regional Shia Putsh 07:37  |  Jason 25/11/07   14.   Annapolis will rival Iraq as Bush`s biggest mistake 08:01  |  Natallie Durson 25/11/07   15.   Annapolis WILL FAIL. Israel can NOT be forced 08:52  |  Dagma 25/11/07   16.   Israel for Sale Cheap 09:10  |  ralphsrant1 25/11/07   17.   The 2nd victory : Olmerts arrest at the airport on departure 09:42  |  B.Hindbars 25/11/07   18.   re Natalie #14 10:03  |  Colin Wright 25/11/07   19.   Fear 10:28  |  Clickfool 25/11/07   20.   turning it around 10:37  |  Gene Warech 25/11/07   21.   For Dagma # 15 10:45  |  Clickfool 25/11/07   22.   Annapolis 12:05  |  the Teacher 25/11/07   23.   #14 nutullie and the usual irrationality 12:57  |  victor hardman 25/11/07   24.   NO VICTORY WHATSOEVER 13:07  |  indrajaya 25/11/07   25.   # 19 # THIS POST EXPOSES AN UNDERSTANDING OF NOTHING 13:55  |  B.Heddem 25/11/07   26.   AND INDRAJAYA SHOWS COLORS OF AN ANARCHIST 13:59  |  THE BROTHERHOOD 25/11/07   27.   # 21 # Mr.Wan Kerr is anti Israeli 14:08  |  B.Heddem 25/11/07   28.   # 1 to wendy in west bloomfield 14:11  |  eric 25/11/07   29.   To Wendy@1 14:57  |  Marketeer 25/11/07   30.   perfect forum for the province plan 15:25  |  peter 25/11/07   31.   Natallie concerning BUSH 15:29  |  another american 25/11/07   32.   The US trying to assure future oil supplies from the Gulf 15:46  |  Roger Bannister 25/11/07   33.   # 11 # NO ISRAELI WITH A MANDATE IS IN ANNAPOLIS: 16:28  |  * *B.H E D D E M** 25/11/07   34.   # 21 # This post is flatulence,a supository,pure and simple 16:40  |  B.Heddem 25/11/07   35.   To Moderators - Where is my Reply to Clickfoot 17:35  |  Dagma 25/11/07   36.   To Clickfoot # 21 - Palestinian lives are precious too 18:12  |  Dagma 25/11/07   37.   To B.Heddem # 31 I agree....... 18:16  |  Dagma 25/11/07   38.   #19, a Brit calls other nations "corrupt, effete, puppet"? HoHo! 18:17  |  Dr. L. Brnd 25/11/07   39.   An Arab Conspiracy. 18:27  |  Dorothea 25/11/07   40.   Arab participation and failure of joint Declaration are related 18:58  |  Tosefta 25/11/07   41.   # 14 Durson and the hopeful Bush bashers want failure 19:25  |  Lynn 25/11/07   42.   #18 Poor Colin Wright is so wrong. 19:28  |  Lynn 25/11/07   43.   # 31 another american 19:35  |  Lynn 25/11/07   44.   america has played it last card... 19:49  |  ravi 25/11/07   45.   # 40 Tosefta...how does one "bring in" a 21:19  |  Lynn 25/11/07   46.   A good thing that Bibi and Barak will also be there 21:31  |  Dolly 25/11/07   47.   The basic error in the Rice-Olmert approach (for Lynn #45) 21:51  |  Tosefta 25/11/07   48.   46 Dolly - Bibi Wasn`t Invited 22:54  |  Mark of Lewiston 25/11/07   49.   As the funder of the Occupation America has high Annapolis stakes 23:26  |  Ivar 25/11/07   50.   For Ivar from Estonia 01:25  |  Jason 26/11/07   51.   Tosefta - the basic error 02:02  |  Mark Lincoln 26/11/07   52.   No Ravi, America has not 02:06  |  Mark Lincoln 26/11/07   53.   Dolly - they are running for his job 02:09  |  Mark Lincoln 26/11/07   54.   # 47 Tosefta...I believe the Pals have decided 02:11  |  Lynn 26/11/07   55.   Mark of Lewiston - and neither does Olmert or Barak 02:13  |  Mark Lincoln 26/11/07   56.   Hudna of The Brave 03:03  |  Yoram 26/11/07   57.   Mark Lincoln -- cheer up! 04:26  |  Gina 26/11/07   58.   `The American Dream` IS DOOMED TO FAIL 07:19  |  Dagma 26/11/07   59.   Indra 08:49  |  Billy Joe 26/11/07

Today Online Israel, PA agree to strive for accord by end of 2008 Responses: 83 Bradley Burston: People who hate the very idea of peace Responses: 190 Jewish, Christian leaders to U.S.: No compromise on J'lem Responses: 159 Iran: We developed new missile with range of 2,000 km Responses: 84 Haaretz TV: Shin Bet pushes Gazan to collaborate while his son is ill Responses: 25 Rosner's Domain You were expecting a weekend in Riyadh? The Rosner Annapolis reader Rosner's Guest: Good reasons for Israel to explore Syria negotiations Bush doctrine, the end? (WTR) More Headlines 23:03 Israel, PA agree to strive for accord by end of 2008 22:10 Analysis / Four quick points on Israel-Palestinian joint statement 21:54 Eli Yishai: Annapolis participants are out of touch with reality 20:48 Full text of Bush's speech at Annapolis, including joint statement 22:33 IAF strikes Hamas post in south Gaza city of Khan Yunis 16:52 One killed as PA forces fire on anti-Annapolis rally in Hebron 21:23 U.S. urges Israel to let Palestinian ambulances travel freely 15:52 Peres: Israel maintains secret contacts with Syria all the time 11:42 Protesters disrupt Oxford debate with Holocaust denier Previous Editions Select Day 26 nov 25 nov 23 nov 22 nov 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 16 nov 15 nov 14 nov 13 nov

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