From Camp David to Annapolis

owing to his invasion of Iraq is only due to the fact that no-one could have foreseen that ARABS WOULD HAVE GONE BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY WERE DOING IN THE DESERT FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS...... Arabs have now returned to their Origin as they were. This 'civilisation thing and democracy' does not suit them. They want their own lives back again and not as America would want them to be. Take off that 'shine' .. that 'glitter' which the finding of Oil in their sands has given them and you will see the true Arab, the Bedouin of the Desert fighting anyone, fighting each other, and even his brother, for what he thinks is right. "The true Arab, The Bedouin" .....and his Faith.

Ask not what God can do for you, ask what you can do for God. He wants us to be a reflection of Him. For this we need His help. We need to learn to think like He thinks, even though His thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts. Instead of seeing our enemies, we need to see His creations AND His purpose for those creations. And we need to understand, God has no enemies He can not defeat all by Himself. Hence, defeating God's enemies is no mans purpose. Overcoming, perhaps. Defeating, no where even close. There is a difference, think about it. One is power over self, the other...power over God's creation. To be given dominion and to take dominion is two different things. We lost dominion almost as soon as it was given. Dominion was then given to God's Messiah, none other. God rules. That is just the way that it is. Fighting for dominion is fighting God, who can win? When all recognize His Majesty, there will be peace.

Your assessment lacks facts. Prior to Herzl Palestine was occupied by Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, and other minorites. It was a tiny population in a nearly emptied land. Between WW's I & II the Arab & Jewish populations exploded through immigration - fueled by British building projects and a sudden booming economy - zionism and later Arab nationalism. Today, Israeli citizens are made up of Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, other minorities. Palestinians are all those who remained after several bloody wars - without citizenship and without any desire to join with Israel. Some hail from the original indigenous - most do not. No it's not simple. Nothing in the middle east is. But Israel is not a colonialist state made up of foreigners who took over from the indigenous. Spreading half-truths does nothing to help the current conflict. All this information is easily available and accessible - even from Melbourne. You should try to live up to your name!

You're right: thanks!

Hi Jimmy, Germans know what war is, we've had more than our full of it AND WISH IT TO NOBODY. Myself I've been on the roads too for two years to prevent a nuclear war (to which Europe was so close in 1981/1982 that there even was a US travel agency slogan "go visit Europe as long as it still exists", with more US tourists pouring in than we'd ever seen before). I know what might be happening and HOPE Israel WILL get the necessity of a definitive and just peace w/ the Palestinians. Bcs it's like in all prophecies, whether you take Nostradamus, the Hopis or whomsoever: there's ALWAYS the possibility that things WON'T happen IF... And it's fine that it's like that, nobody should complain about this as Jonas did!

the Israeli people will NOT be asked whenever real "final results" finally have cristallized, BEFORE the signing of documents, and therewith also BEFORE any part of their implementation??? NOTHING's feasible without that! So I feel COCKSURE you'll HAVE your referendum then, not only the Palestinians!!! So why are you worried ahead of time. In a true democracy (and Israel claims to be one)IT's ALWAYS THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDE. That's THE REALLY GOOD THING about democracies. By contrast, look at Myanmar: see the difference?

"There is no line running from Camp David to Annapolis" ML. History never goes in a straight line. If no change no history. "Begin would not end up in jail if there was Peace" ML . So, wasn't he a decent man or not ? "The Republican party of the US would not face defeat if there was peace" ML. There are other things that could happed to 2008.'never' can't be the right word now. "At the time of Camp David,there were players who could benefit from peace.Now there are none" ML. Vague ? Unless you name the players ? No one can comment. Besides, it was you who said, The Republican party ('can win') 'who could benefit from Peace' ? So, why 'there are none'? May we all be in Peace. Now the editors turn ..

"Jimmy Carter was a decent man".ML. Bless him. "Thus he could act as a broker of a decent peace" ML.May G-d bless him again. "Which won Egypt far more than Israel"ML May G-d bless him in Arabic . "refused in 1972"ML. Now Mr lincoln talking History.Egypt was on its Knees when signed Peace with Israel on March 26,1979.It was a broken country.The 1967 6-day war made Egypt an 'occupied country'.The arms Egypt bought from the USSR,Egypt had to morgage its future cotton. (Read Hykel).Sadat said it in 1979 war:'I am not ready to fight America'.Egypt was ready forPeace Decency has nothing to do with it."Manachem Begin was willing to risk peace back then"ML.I leave it to Mr Lincoln to call him 'decent'. "Olmert can't possibly agree to peace if he wishes to avoid jail"ML.Olmert,negotiating peace with un-responsible men.Unlike Sadat;Haneyh & Abass are not responsible leaders of a country. (Their record proves that).Peace with them is undesirable. pt-2

"If both of the top Palestinian parties- representing the vast majority of Palestinians -are willing to accept etc.."ML But, these two Parties a)They don't accept each other & b) Hamas never accepted'the green line of 1967'may be only after you bring their written letter to that effect ? To put it in simple terms. "does Israel want peace or Judea and Samaria" ?ML. To put it in simple terms. Do ALL those who started the WAR want peace that including Judea and Samaria ? Without other 'demands & conditions' ? "If the letter is it willing to invade Lebanon and Syria" ML. If War,anything can happen.Only simplification can blinded of what can happen. "If not what is doing by refusing peace"? ML I will tell you Mark when you answer this post. Fair ? "Israel does not know". Mark Lincoln How can you make such judgement befor you wait for answers to your questions ??? Isn't that the OLD MODAL ? Or Is't because Mark Lincoln is always right ? Se yout answers first.

That's you, israel - the fatted calf - and don't assume that anyone will stop you getting the chop if you don't wake up and break off this kamikaze alliance with a US driven insane by surplus cold war intellectuals.

Strange this coming from you Mr Lincoln ! "Let us use this forum as a model of the problem"ML. Do you mean a 'model' as in 'one man's show'?.i.e 'talk-without-back' ? "the overwhelming majority..the eradication of the "other"'ML. Is this 'eradication'of the other,including Barak offer to Arafat via Clinton ? "When did the war begin?"ML Where thers was no much left to give everybody. In 1922 (white paper).67% of the land was given to Emir Abdullah by British and renamed Transjordan."The FACT is the current war started in 1967"ML. There was NO Peace before 1967,so how the War started when there was WAR already? 1967 Was just another battle in an unfinished War. "Because that is when both Fatah and Hamas are willing to accept"ML. Hamas NEVER accepted that.Hamas accepted 'a long hudna' only.(Go to Hamas&bring their written acceptance please Besides, the Arab countries started this war and the onus on them to finish it,not Hamas & Fatah.pt-2

'The Arabs must...' is an Israeli mantra based on the illusion of having defeated them. But the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan were certainly not capitulations, the war with Syria and Lebanon is not yet over and both are very unlikely to capitulate. Nor have the Palestinians capitulated. The root of the common illusion is the mistaken belief that wars are won by armies - but they are won or lost by nations. History abounds in cases when an army won many campaigns, but the nation lost the war. This is what happened here - what Israelis call 'wars' were all military campaigns, mostly successful, which have failed to force the Arabs to capitulate. Two conclusions follow. First, do not trust the generals, who are naturally active in spreading that illusion of 'wars' won by them. Second, tell the politicians to stop making demands and work for a solid compromise. Nothing else will ever work.

this conference is doomed to failure because Olmert and Abbas are a spent force, whle the lameduck administration of President Bush has no political capital left. The Saudis are making absurd preconditions while their neighboring Shiites are waiting to skin them alive as soon as the U.S. leaves Iraq.This conference is dead on arrival.

the world and history appear to have passed you by THEY ARE IN THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN that is what israel is all about! there are no such thing as illegal settlements ! try education its a wonderful thing !

...Neither Iran nor Syria have a right to intervene in Palestinian affairs... And the US and EU have a right to intervene. Is that you wanted to say, buddy.

No matter how unable he was to cope with the post Vietnam/watergate world Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon had left him, Jimmy Carter was a decent man. Thus he could act as a broker of a decent peace, which won Egypt far more than Israel had refused in 1972, and far more than Israel would have settled for in 1966. Menachem Begin was willing to risk peace back then. Olmert can't possibly agree to peace if he wishes to avoid jail. There is no line running from Camp David to Annapolis. Begin would not end up in jail if there was peace. The Republican party of the US would not face defeat if there was peace. At the time of Camp David, there were players who could benefit from peace. Now there are none.

Let us use this forum as a model of the problem. The overwhelming majority have absolutely no interest in peace. To them the only possible 'peace' will be the eradication of the "other.": Only an idiot thinks that the "other' will simply allow themselves to be annihilated, and thus we can comprehend the rationality of those extremists. When did the 'war' begin? The purists would say 1948, the realists would say 1920. The FACT is that the current war started in 1967. Why 1967? Because that is where both Fatah and Hamas are willing to accept as the datum from which negotiations will begin. If both of the top Palestinian parties - representing the vast majority of Palestinians - are willing to accept the green line of 1967 as the borders, then the problem rests in Israel. To put it in simple terms, "does Israel want peace, or judea and Samaria"? If the latter is it willing to invade Lebanon and Syria. If not what is it doing by refusing peace? Israel does not know.

What you can do I can do better: Tamato-Tometo. Falafal-Falfato. "Olmert and Abass mission much harder than that of Barak Arafat" Ed. Isn't that obvious ?Isn't that the first rule of the Suk.Israel now is for 'auction' between Abass & Hanieyah and that include the Arab and foreighnours.The Saudi Plan,The Road Map,The Quartate Plan,Hamas Plan,The interlocked Fatah Plan;but no Israeli Plan ! It started with conversion,diversion,unilateral, and finished with multilateral and disapeared. Israel now The Sader of all nations. Thank G-d the guest are not to meet in the Israeli Tent. Israel would have had to barrow space from Arab neighbours ! We just finished the best days in the Jewish Calendar.We pray for Shana Tova.In fact we asked many things from G-d.In all our many demands we didn't remember the wise words of Kennedy:Don't ask what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your couttry. Aren't we asking too many coutries what they can do for us ?

Uzi the country was theirs before Herzl and his followers colonised it with the help of the British mandatory power. Palestinians have already given up three quarters of their land to the Zionists. And Abbas is little more than a collaborator in the Polkes, Kastner mould. He will accept a few millions from the US and Israel will continue creating facts on the ground. All Abbas is looking for is some way of looking credible with vague promises of a "peace process", rather than peace with justice. Without Hamas, the conference is worthless and Israel has shown its real intentions by invading Syria.

The editorial ignores the total lack of public support for the Olmert regime which has taken upon itself to make final decisions that will impact all Israelis. Should such a government be allowed to make these serious decisions for the country? Consider the "trial balloons" coming from the likes of Haim Ramon. Why is Ha'aretz not calling for a national unity government and all parties being brought onboard instead of relying on the skills of an Olmert and Livni run Kadima, who have already shown their limited abilities in the Lebanon war? Maybe the questionable skills of this government is an equal threat to the future of Israel as the likes of an Ahmadinejad?

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. A child's life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark.

How can a guy who was slave owner fight for liberty?? Like washington(who freed his slaves) or jefferson who did not.Tell how did that work out??

in convincing the world and Israel of the biggest hoax since The Piltdown hoax. The Piltdown hoax lasted more than 40 year from its 'discovery' to its exposure as a forgery. Palestinians are right on track and with the Olmert & Co. bargain basement assortment of fools who make sure to read the fineprint but fail to observe the book itself is a farce, the hoaxsters may accomplish their joke. And all the while the Hashemites laugh it up in Jordan which is just a name painted over the real one-Palestine. Multi billion dollar swindlers have nothing on arafat-Abbas and the palestinian forgery. Barnum said it well: There's a sucker born every day. In Israel one fo those suckers holds the highest office.

Peace can only be achieve when Israel ecavuates its fraudulent settlemant & encourage its pioneer settlers to exercise their right of return to their country of origin. John

The theory that peace can be wrought by two weaklings and a maniac is laughable.

One finds it difficult to comprehend,how Dr.Rice is carrying a proposal to the Palestinians,which is an untouchable sacred cow;the abrogation of right of return,and the division Jerusalem; which an untouchable sacred cow for the Israelis, especially at a time when neither Mr. Olmert, nor Abu Mazen are in a position to take even smaller steps to help the peace process.Does Dr. Rice believe that, where stronger leaders have failed, hardly standing ones can make monumental decisions?.If she pulls this trade-of, she will pull the greatest peace coup yet, which is at the same time, the coup de grace for Abu mazen and Mr. Olmert.Only a major cataclysim can turn sacred cows into mere beef.

It is impossible to cite a single real benefit Israel has ever enjoyed from the "peace process". Oslo and our insane retreats from South Lebanon and Gaza brought rockets on our cities, rendered Northern Israel uninhabitable and tens of thousands of maimed and murdered civilians. Before Oslo, Israel suffered terror casualties about about a dozen annually. After Oslo, casualties soared into the tens of thousands. The mission of sane Jews is to end the fraudulent "peace process" once and for all. Peace can only come through resounding Israeli victory and no concessions whatsoever. Europe and Asia have enjoyed decades of peace due to the Allies' resounding victory over Germany and Japan, with no concessions.

So, what may we expect from Annapolis? Just the icing on the cake, smoke and mirrors, the usual dog and pony show from that inept and twice-elected rogue administration in Washington.

How successful has Abbas integration policy been? With the assistance of Bush and Condi, who insisted that elections take place in the Territories (despite warnings by Abbas and Olmert that Hamas would be the winner), more successful than he could have imagined! He not only succeeded in achieving Hamas victorious entry into politics, but they entered the political process armed. Abbas, Bush and Condi cooperated in legitimizing Hamas as a political party, with an armed wing in Damascus. Has Abbas changed priorities since the Hamas secession of Gaza? In public he insists he agrees and is compliant with the Israel-American boycott and would not talk with Hamas. In private he continuously negotiates. Abbas knows that Palestinian statehood is a pressing agenda item to the world and will remain on the diplomatic front burner whether he attends to it now or later. For Abbas peace within Palestine still comes first. And this apparently suits Olmert just fine!

I agree with the Editorial Board on all points except #6. Olmert and Abbas might be able to deliver if they wanted. With Palestine, as with the case of Syria, there is an almost completed agreement already on the table. Problem is neither side really wants to close. Olmert talks withdrawal, but lacks the ideological heart to do so. Abbas talks peace, and perhaps all commentators are correct and he truly is committed to it, but peace with Israel is his secondary, not primary priority. Internal peace, the inclusion of Hamas and the rejectionists, comes first. This has always been evident from his actions since inheriting the PA presidency from Arafat. However much advice or pressure he receives from the outside world he persists in his policy of including Hamas in the political process over pursuing the peace process with Israel. Peace within Palestine was and remains his prior goal.

doris you must stop drinking in the mornings! you think the un is an effective rational body? when it deals with muslim apartheid and the lack of human rights in islamic countries then it will be a credible body !

Haaretz, Of course, you are right all the fixtures are different now and the ones I resent most are those created by the Israeli to dictate a final status agreement. Still, I say the Palestinians should not be intimidated by such fixtures and demand their removal as needed. Let's not have no more half ass freedom from Israel (as seen in Gaza) and let's use the UN & SC to ensure Pale- stinian rights & freedom. That should booster Abbas... Dutch

Jimmy, There are armies of Americans fighting for the rights of the Palestinian people against the Junta in Israel. Israel is a very different place today than 1948 and US policy must reflect this. John

The Arab Israeli conflict is not a teritorial conflict. It may look as one but in fact it is absolutly not. Arabs did not eccept Israel and for 60 years worked hard to promote hate againt Israel in every Arab hart. Now after more than 60 years with so much suffering it is time to change the mentality as every Arab must realise that war and terror will not make them defeat Israel as Israel is hear to stay side by side with Arabs.This hate policy turn Gaza to Gazastan a place I would not like to live.Arabs must aske themselves first what steps they took toward peace with Israel eccept talk and talk. They must take action by establishing normal relation with Israel stop all hate schools and hate propoganda (madrasas) and start a new page and peace will eventualy come.

The Arabs of the Land of Israel consistently demonstrate that they don't want, can't make and won't maintain real peace. They do want, however, to weaken Israel by gaining territory without 'giving' anything tangible. They ignore that "possession is nine tenths of the law" and that it's rather the Arabs who should come forward and spell out what they offer Israel in return for what they want. They also pretend not to get it that in this case "land for peace" is both immoral and unworkable. The Arabs had used the 'territories' to threaten, pester and attack Israel before we took these territories in self defence. They continue to plan, prepare and perpetrate genocide against Israel and pretend not to see that it would be suicide for Israel to concede anything in response to their threats and aggressive action. The Arabs must realize that the only way toward peace is that rather they themselves should offer, accept and be convincingly satisfied with 'painful' compromises.

I see little hope this new initiative will have success. As indicated, those things to have changed seems to head toward the worse. The largest reality is Israel has no reason to negotiate. It has supreme military power, it still has US protection with both its veto at the UN and US weapons and monies. Strategically, Israel negotiating does not make sense. The other nations have more pressing issues. The instability of Iraq is more important for the Gulf states and Syria and Jordan that are encumbered with the displaced of that front. Last, the division of the two groups of Palestinians means that Israel truly, for the first time ever, has no bargaining partner. There is no single representative of the Palestinian people after the failure of the technocrats followed by that Gaza take over. It's depressing.

I love the title of your comment. Very creative, but the comment itself is the same monotonous rambling of a typical Israeli basher. You remind me of Olmert. You and him are great when it comes to bumper-sticker slogans that lead down the same weedy deadend. There is the neat slogan, but all the rest is just bumper.

First they act according to their traditional culture in which terror and genocide are methods of choice. When the victims act in self defence the Arabs miscalculate and botch their responses and get humiliated in the process. Then they expect and demand that the victims compensate the Arabs and humiliate themselves to restore the dignity of the Arabs; all under the threat that the Arabs would renew their terror and genocide action, which sooner or later they do. And so it goes on and on.

the Jordan? The answer is in some hard facts: The Arabs of Western Eretz Yisrael have consistently demonstrated that they are incapable of surviving unaided or ruling themselves, especially at the national polity level. They have never exercised their inherent right of self determination and now they expect others to determine and create for them that Mickey Mouse "state" which will never be. The Arabs of Western Eretz Yisrael constantly kill and steal from each other and lie to themselves, each other and the rest of the world. They never miss any opportunity to make atrocious choices and mistakes and they are incapable of sustaining and providing for themselves; they depend on others for everything. How on earth will they ever make it?

ambushing thru 'peace of the braves' trap/slogan, Editorial says quote " mission is much harder " And "...meeting will require much more creativity and daring " , Same as the manipulative snake enticing eve , endin' up being thrown out of eden .so is self jew hater , extreme left activist , Editorial pschology taken against the Jewish State thru his bottomeless manipulative hatred against settlers , let alone Gideon Levy , A. Hass , Meretz , peace now , High Court ect...all actively zealously underminin' the jewish State destiny and its Jewish character. Look at Pharaoh taskmaster , the IDF and police brutally beatin' up with clubs jewish kids and women settlers , all this happenin' while Livni calls Mynamar to handle protestors with care , she doesn't look at her hump , and Peres callin' to get rid off Jewish Lands of Judea and Samaria instead of him being fedexed with his barbarians hordes to the arabian wilderness, Same as Abraham did twice to Hagar and once to her son Ishmael , to send them away with one day water and bread. or as it is called in the jewish law , a sacrifice to La a zazel , Any relief to Arabs plan (Saudia 2002) and/or to US Road Map means a 3rd arab state against and in the midst of the jews , there is already Gaza and Arab-Israeli States in the making addin' a third arab State on Jewish Lands of Judea and Samaria immorally occupied by arabs , these qurayish mohamedans descendents , there is the trap set against the Jewish State destiny. Having murdered more than 6 millions Jews throughout History , antisemites Europeans passed the stick to arabs , And now these hypocrites europeans brandish the 'Human Right" stick a la Al Qaida Style against the Jewish State right to self defense. Unlike Europeans , The US is no racist and neither antisemite but misguides by sayin' 2 states solution as explained above , US in fact adopt the arab plan under an american accent . Jerusalem Capital division included , says it is committed to Israel security , smile be happy for passive arab demography combined with human right a la EU/Al Qaida style is not perceived by US as a trap against the Jewish State destiny. US minds and cares about the Jewish State but only thru US interests , business is business . And while they all gossip about the fashion show of the day , the Washington conference , this so called 'moderate' US ally Egypt , let into Gaza 80 terrorists with intent to deter Israel from a northern action and as a commitement to Syria's security . same as in Apr. 7 , 1967 so is Egypt again. acting from a pan arab pride in vain. Should IDF act against these 80 terrorists and their network terror supporters , you'l see quickly hypocrites arabs and EUro worldwide medias brandishing 'Human civil rights' a la Al Qaida style . yeap Gideon Levy would be just happy to jump in .

Why don"t you worry about the massacres in Darfur before bringing your Hate message to Israel.

Hi J.M. I think you have a good point (about to want not to have another war again)), but history showed that people have to be credible in the military sense to get their rights. In Sudan, that was the lesson. Khartoum wanted to control blacks and lands in South Sudan. Maybe Israel is worse than the Khartoum government, because it wants to force the Palestinian Arabs out of their lands, and take them for Jews only. The Palestinians will need to have the power of Iran and other Arab states behind them, and probably destroy a city in Israel before the Israeli will think of giving up that plan. I think they can do this soon though. Hopefully Iran will have a bomb soon. Of course this doesn't mean I don't wish for peace without war first, but I am just trying to be realistic.

...however, I too fear Israel must expect the worst if it cannot GET IT that THE TIME HAS COME for a Palestinian state - and gets this effected QUICKLY - This said, EVERYBODY OF GOOD WILL should share in the refugee compensating thing. Nations (including the German one, as bcs of the Shoah having necessitated a safe haven for the Jews, i.e. Israel, MY COUNTRY is VERY DEEPLY INDEBTED TO THE PALESTINIANS TOO). As well as all of us individually. (Actively preparing for MY part in that.)

Ok it is a harder mission. The Palestinains are not soft and easy to accept any Israeli demands. Israel Labor is not a peace maker party. Barak didn't want to leave Gaza as Sharon did. Barak didn't put some offers on the tables like swaping lands for settlements as Olmert suggested.....etc.

whilst there is a certain stupidity in politicians they are unlike here to get the oslo euphoria !

Of course the Abbas situation LOOKS weaker (right now emergency legitimacy on one side, the Gaza situation on the other side). But REFERENDUM BACKING BY ALL PALS, ALSO THOSE ABROAD, of whatever deal's reached will empower him greatly. Thereby forcing also Hamas to abstain from attacking deal results. In that he's EVEN CLEVERER AND STRONGER than (to my knowledge) Arafat was. Who besides that ALSO could NOT have imposed 100% "non-violence" before the OCCUPATION would have ended. That's the point NOBODY in Israel yet seems to get: there are ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO A MEDAL: occupation = resistance (and vice-versa). A fence supposedly creating three West Bank enclaves: how is THAT supposed to go w/ peace? THERE'S PLENTY OF HOPE THOUGH: Olmert/Abbas SINCERELY looking for peace; w/ a SUBSTANTIAL NOV 26 paper the moderate Arab backing; last not least: THE TIME HAS COME - the status quo cannot go on for ever and ever.

Trial of living wishful thinking. Rightfully this leader states ?political negotiations are being conducted in parallel universe cut off from reality.? - Following limited enumeration of problems allegedly to be discussed, apparently unconcerned on this real conflict which is being by this to be conference concentrated the so called Palestine Israel question; whilst the realistically the issue is the major world change on socio economic- and cultural level which became a virtual tool in the hands of world powers. Here the root is to be found in the will to ultimately change our still prevailing inter- human understanding based on rules of the Judo Christian religious moral and practical daily human behavior. Awakening of the Asian human multitude of different religious and social basis then what we are used to as ?Western way of life? creates for all concern problems / questions as they are beginning in participation of the modern technological development. Without the prior experience of the west - actually they have to ?catch up overnight? to compete / co-exist without preexisting adjustment / learning periods on a minimal experience and their nowadays observed adjustments shows their present inability for a mental change. Consequently the try to adjust itself, preserve their position by following back on the partially known and applied Codex of life as prescribed by the Koran for Muslims, as here the step on for them ?known, secure, safe ground? which has a very different approach to life in general of the individual and of its expectation beyond the moment! Simultaneously we observe the diminishing effect of USA world power number one owing to its energy dependence where the major source are in Africa, Near East etc which so far supplied Western industrialization needs for energy, enabling this countries to produce / supply industrial production at an acceptable monetary value whilst the growing Far Eastern needs increase enabled the oil producing countries to cash in the increase demands and at the same time partially controlled supply as a consequence the relatively high wages of the ?Western world powers cannot compete with the ridiculous low wages of those hungry billions of people who are governed by autocratic / dictatorial governments / groups without any welfare concern for people ruled by them. Instead of dumping prices those scrupulous rules forced the price level for their personal own profits. But here the very first sign of an awakening population are appearing still remaining void of their by basis rights are mentioned out of the multitude of basic problems but all connected to industrial energy needs which are a decisive world power instrument power tool owing to these to i.e. a shifting of issues from technical into socio-economic issues. - Based on the foregone the positions for old partners of the planned Middle East Conference / meeting under headline of the Israel ?Palestine problem guided to a large extent by the USA will at the best produce declarations which in the majority will finally ending in filing cupboards / drawers. Accepting the fact of the delegates expected to appear being hardly having a real home backing from their perspective countries, all feeling the limitations of their positions owing to awakening of their home populations. Israel as well as Palestinian representative to this conference / meeting are without any real numberical home support and their practice / knowledge of democracy is unrealistic and no pressure for any unrealistic decisions concerning should be expected/ forced.

Neither Iran nor Syria have a right to intervene in Palestinian affairs. Trust me, they've done enough damage to Lebanese politics. However, I do agree that the Arabs can go kick sand also. They can only be included if there is a peace between Israel and Palestine, so that Israel is able to establish normal relations with ARabville. The fact is all the Arab states and Iran, all seem to think they know what's best for Palestinians. Well, sorry. They don't live under the occupation. I lived it for my youth years. It's disgusting. However, the Palestinian people are the only ones who have a right to vote for the proposals by use of referendums. Iran and Syria do not have any rights whatsoever in effecting Palestinian nationhood. None whatsoever. If you want, you can ask them to intervene in Indonesia's issues, but not ours.

Too many young Palestinians, particularly Hamas' members, but plenty of others too, don't know anything anymore about normal life, behaviour, work and civility. It is those who call the shots because that's all they know to do, to shoot, in the air or into people, Jews preferably, but also Arabs, and that is power. It is hard to see them ever renouncing destructiveness. Also, the hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers are an enormous problem, although, just possibly, easier to handle, simply because most of them are still capable of constructive lives.

My hero is of course John Garang, but also other heroes from other countries are Aung San Suu Kyi, Nelson Mandela and Yassir Arafat. They stuck to their principals and in the end freed their people from terrible oppression. In Southern Sudan we had to mix fighting with pushing for peace through negotiation, and I think the Palestinians will have to do that too. They need a mix of these approaches to get free of Israel.

The difference between CAMP DAVID and ANNAPOLIS: Israel had been defeated by Hezbollah at 2006, while Barak and Israel hadn't been defeated by anybody before 2000. So, Israel needs to create an image that she is still the BOSS in the REGION.

This conference is doomed to fail, unless three important actors are called to take part in it: Iran, Hamas and Syria. The rest - Saudi Arabia, Gulf countries, Egypt - dont count.

The Palestinians will never get control of their property from Israel without a war. Israel is only interested in taking that land from them. The Israeli evasions on the core issues clearly show that this is just another trick to show the world a negotiating face, and then say it was the fault of the Palestinian victems that it failed. They will offer nothing, and then blame them for the breakdown, and then keep building walls and destroying home, and bulding settlements. Israel can only be stopped by force. That will probably have to come from Iran, and let's hope it will be soon! We need peace in our region. In my country we know about these things, because we fought Khartoum for years.

Israels goal is to avoid any peace for as long as possible. It has always been easy to find fault within the Palestinians to enable Israel to do this without any problem. America is a different sort of problem. Israel has been dragging feet on this issue for decades and has already received multiple incentives from America for having moved forward with the process. By now, there is nobody fooled by this routine, including the normally dull witted Israel supporters. Israel may have to become more creative in the process used to avoid peace but this should not be much trouble. It just needs an extra note of sincerity and a little "eye batting" from Olmert. Also, Olmert will ensure that Barak keeps his mouth zipped until the summit has concluded, and maybe even longer.