Rice to arrive Tuesday to review progress in Olmert-Abbas talks
Talks to help prepare ground for November summit; parties to work on joint declaration, 'core issues.'
By Aluf Benn and Shmuel Rosner Tags: Condoleezza Rice Palestinian Authority Mahmoud AbbasU.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will arrive on Tuesday for a round of talks in Israel and the Palestinian Authority to prepare for the Middle East peace summit scheduled for the second half of November.
Rice is expected to meet separately with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who will report on the progress made in their talks over the past few weeks.
Officials in Jerusalem believe the U.S. administration wants to take the temperature ahead of the November conference. Rice, who will chair the event, seeks to get a feeling for the extent of Israeli and Palestinian flexibility in formulating the joint declaration before continuing her efforts to enlist the cooperation of senior Saudi and United Arab Emirates representatives in the summit. Washington has received reports of the Olmert-Abbas talks from aides and hangers-on; now it expects to receive first-hand reports.
The negotiating teams created by Olmert and Abbas in last week's meeting are to meet for the first time in several days, after the composition of the Palestinian team is vetted. The teams will work on the joint declaration, which is intended to serve as the basis for negotiations over the establishment of a Palestinian state and solving the "core issues" - permanent borders, Jerusalem and the refugees. An Israeli source said this weekend that the parties will find it hard to reach agreement on the latter two issues, and may have to make do with general formulations on these issues while going into more detail on the character of the Palestinian state as well as, perhaps, its borders.
The Washington conference is expected to commence on or about November 15 and to last for two days. Current plans call for declarations of support only, with no deliberations or negotiations during the summit itself.
Olmert has been invited to speak at the General Assembly of United Jewish Communities, which will be in Nashville from November 11-13. He has not yet decided whether to swing by Tennessee on his way to Washington.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will leave for the UN General Assembly in New York next Saturday, after Yom Kippur. In preparation for her trip, Jerusalem and Washington will try to line up as many meetings as possible between her and Arab leaders, and to hold as many open meetings as possible in preparation for the November summit. Abbas will head the Palestinian delegation to the GA in New York, where he is expected meet with Bush and possibly with Livni as well.
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U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at a state event in Washington on Friday. (Reuters) |
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"Your meddling is not wanted & you are not welcomed" So I suppose you won't be needing those several billion dollars from us again this year, right?
We-ee-ee-ll...err...well, to sort of, kind of, find a home for some Arab emigreits who became refugees after Arab/Israeli Wars whose homelands did not want them back. The US and World Leaders considered the plight of these homeless Arabs and decided that the best place for them would be the lands captured by Isra from Egypt and Jordan during the 1967 War, namely Gaza and the West Bank, for their future Homeland as neither Egypt nor Jordan want their lands back from Israel. But the Arab Refugees who now call themselves 'Palestinians' well... they simply do not understand that only with a Peace Deal can this land be theirs. Therefore the reason Rice is coming to Israel to sort this problem out as many Palestinians are now resorting to terrorism to get this land for themselves.
It's been reported, in Haaretz & over the past few weeks, that Olmer and Abbas are trying to come up with a one-page, 5 items, "Agreement of Principles". Today we are told that this "Agreement of Principles" will NOT be presented at the "regional summit"! Notice that they no longer call it a "Peace Conference". So what is Condarisa Lice coming here in person for? She can ask Olmert to fax her a copy - if he manages to finish it in time. Condi, save us American Tax Payers the cost of your travel & lodging. There are some poor black souls not far from the White house that can use the money to buy food for their kids.
Now, we will see the spineless politician doing anything to cut any kind of deal to grab a Nobel Peace Prize for himself, whatever the consequences. How far will Israelis let him progress before he gets put down? Get ready for a bomb shell.
Condi could also be taken to the West Bank to see the sight of thousands of Palestinians under lockdown for the benefit of the settlers there.
"Why is this Unpopular Government still in Power?" and many Americans are asking that question about their own government. As for Ms. Rice, she might as well stay at home for all the good she'll do. Which is to say, none.
Can't the peace talks be held in Sderot? I hear the climate is very conducive for talking. Just take Condi down to ole Sderot--I'm sure she'll get a real jolt from the fireworks! "Can we move ahead on the peace negotiations?" "Oops Ms. Rice, duck, there's a large object coming down on your head." It's just a message of "peace."
Olmert and Livni continue with their Meetings and Discussions with World Leaders with a stronger hold then ever on the Knesset by the same large parties that have continually disappointed the voters. At the same time, their Ministers ensure that the only route to the Knesset is well guarded by the present, woefully corrupt holders of power. Therefore, Rice's arrival on Tuesday will make no difference with the Olmert/Abbas talks This Government is a total failure in everything they do and nothing will come out of these Talks except unfortunately Israel's deteriorating state.
Your meddling is not wanted & you are not welcomed.
This conference is a bad idea. Israel will get nothing out of this deal except more pressure. Appeasement is alive and well in israel and the US. http://ralphsrant1.blogspot.com/