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Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad (AP) Last update - 09:43 12/02/2008 Palestinian PM: Israel has failed to keep 'road map' promises By Reuters Tags: israel, palestinian authority  Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Monday accused Israel of failing to keep its commitments to freeze Jewish settlement activity and to ease checkpoints that limit Palestinian mobility on the West Bank. In a speech to Arab Americans, diplomats and journalists, Fayyad complained of a lack of progress on these issues more than two months after the U.S.-hosted conference in Annapolis, Maryland, where the two sides agreed to start negotiations with a goal of reaching a peace agreement by the end of this year. " Advertisement Annapolis was a major step forward, but I cannot say we are not having difficulties. In the two months following Annapolis, Israeli incursions and bombings on Palestinians and their property claimed the lives of 165 people, injured another 521, and caused untold damage to property," Fayyad said. Fayyad made the comments before he was to meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during a visit to Washington aimed at courting world bankers, investors and leaders to help revive the Palestinian economy. Rice is expected to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories in early March, a U.S. official said. Most of the violence against Palestinians has occurred in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas forcibly seized control from the Palestinian Authority in June. Militants in Gaza hit southern Israel daily with rockets and mortars, in what Hamas says is a response to Israeli attacks. Hundreds of attacks have killed two Israelis in the past year. In response to the rocket attacks, Israel has frequently launched raids against militants in Gaza, killing Palestinian civilians in some cases. Gazan officials estimate the number of militants Israel Defense Forces has killed over the past 12 months is around 700. Under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan launched in 2003, the Palestinians committed to crack down on militants launching attacks on Israel. The Jewish state, among other things, committed to freeze "all settlement activity." "What I see has not happened, not happened to the extent it should or it can, is progress on these issues, progress on the implementation of commitments under the road map," he said. "I do not see sufficient commitment on the part of Israel to the ... settlement freeze." Fayyad faulted Israel for having issued a tender for more than 300 housing units around Jerusalem the week after the Annapolis conference - a step that drew a rare rebuke of Israel from the U.S. government - and for failing to ease the checkpoints that limit Palestinian mobility in the West Bank. "I do not believe that Israel, or the process for that matter, can afford waiting until there is an absolutely perfect alignment of stars over the Middle East." such checkpoints can be removed, he said. "They cannot be removed overnight ... (but) why can't that process begin?" Israel argues that the checkpoints are needed to protect itself against Palestinian suicide bombers. "Israel has worked to strengthen the Palestinian Authority headed by President (Mahmoud) Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad in the hopes of ending Palestinian terror and reaching a peace agreement," said an Israeli official. "The only thing choking the Palestinian economy is continued Palestinian terror, including by elements affiliated with the Palestinian Authority as well as continuous rocket attacks on Israel's civilian population," the official added. Related articles: U.S. envoy begins mission to monitor compliance with road map Elements of a performance-based road map to a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict `Road map is a life saver for us,' PM Abbas tells Hamas Israel's road map reservations Bookmark to del.icio.us   Google N for Nakba Israeli town sues Google over claim it was built on ruins of Palestinian village. A Belgian treat U.S. Jew says he was kicked out of a Bruges cafe because he was wearing a skullcap.   1.   Road Map to Hell 06:08  |  Brod 12/02/08   2.   Hamas was elected to government, did not seize power. Abbas s 06:25  |  Truths 12/02/08   3.   Comittments by Arabs: Not "crackdown" they must 06:41  |  dov epstein 12/02/08   4.   Israel and Zionists are depressing 07:08  |  YM 12/02/08   5.   Note to Fayyad 07:15  |  Natallie Durson 12/02/08   6.   Road Map Failure 07:23  |  Morris Amsel 12/02/08   7.   Promises 07:47  |  Marshall 12/02/08   8.   A TRAITOR WHO ACTED LIKE HERO 07:51  |  indrajaya 12/02/08   9.   Fayyad Doesn`t Acknowledge All The times Israel Took Risks 08:10  |  Joseph . E 12/02/08   10.   Re: dov epstein 08:14  |  democrat 12/02/08   11.   The Same Type of Teror PLO Public Spin 08:24  |  Joseph . E 12/02/08   12.   #6 You can always trust a zionist..... 08:27  |  Johnboy 12/02/08   13.   Showing how empty threats of no negotions under fire are 08:51  |  Pablo B 12/02/08   14.   #5note to nutullie and fayyad its always not the arabs fault 09:03  |  v hardman 12/02/08   15.   #2 truth 09:39  |  danny 12/02/08   16.   A comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian issue. 09:51  |  Malka Ziv 12/02/08   17.   #6 Morris Amsel- Road Map Failure 09:55  |  Gerald Zang 12/02/08   18.   Nothing new here; Israel has never kept its word 10:14  |  Chanalau, Tova 12/02/08   19.   Fayyad should look to their failure first. 10:32  |  MaryRose 12/02/08   20.   Fayyad read the Road Map yourself 11:01  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 12/02/08   21.   #13 Pablo from the Untied States 11:03  |  MaryRose 12/02/08   22.   Sorry to burst your bubble Truths... 11:28  |  MaryRose 12/02/08   23.   Fayad has one hell of alot of nerve.Who lost Gaza to Hamas Fayyad 12:18  |  Pavel 12/02/08   24.   A Road Map to Nowhere 13:02  |  Moshe 12/02/08   25.   Mary Rose please look at a dictionary 13:07  |  Truths 12/02/08   26.   what have the palestians been doing 14:43  |  zionist forever 12/02/08   27.   GOOD MORNING Mr FAYYAD? How was your sleep? 15:41  |  TripleJump 12/02/08   28.   Margie, why would you interpret it that way? 16:26  |  Ibrahim 12/02/08   29.   MaryRose has comprehension Issues 16:30  |  Ibrahim 12/02/08   30.   And what about the Arabs? 16:37  |  Gee 12/02/08   31.   folks! i expected that the present US admin`n 17:06  |  bozhidar balkas 12/02/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: Sderot as Stalingrad, Hamas as Samson Responses: 88 Ahmed Yousef: Palestinian revenge was inevitable Responses: 86 Israeli town sues Google over claim it was built on Arab village Responses: 133 Minister: No freeze on Jewish house building in E. J'lem Responses: 24 Krakow church holds service slamming 'kikes who spit on us' Responses: 117 Rosner's Domain Amb. Ayalon: Why does Obama think talking to "Hitler" can succeed? Democratic policy unity is a mirage (WTR) Poll: Is it legitimate to cut electricity to Gaza? Think Clinton won the Jewish vote in California? Think again Factor: How's McCain better than Obama More Headlines 16:21 Merkel to PM: Gazans suffering due to Qassam fire 16:34 Sheetrit announces plans for first new Arab city since 1948 16:25 Peres: If we're fired upon, we must hit back without hesitation 17:03 Former U.S. VP Al Gore among recipients of 2008 Dan David Prize 14:06 Top reservists: Roadblocks in W. Bank do more harm than good 16:56 Hoenlein says 'concerned' by atmosphere surrounding Obama campaign 17:01 Asian eateries cut menu over plans to rid kitchens of foreign chefs 17:14 IAEA denies internal row over Iran, condemns Western 'hype' 12:46 Minister: No freeze on Jewish construction in E. J'lem 13:11 Barak: Ankara can wield positive influence on Damascus 14:13 IDF arrests W. Bank money changers, confiscates funds destined for terror groups 10:52 Danes seize suspects over plot against 'anti-Mohammed' cartoonists 12:48 Krakow church holds service against 'kikes who spit on us' Previous Editions Select Day 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 01 feb 31 jan 30 jan 29 jan

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