Much Ado About Annapolis
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland - The Middle East peace conference that began and ended here on this crisp, sunny Tuesday was lean on specifics for a lasting peace deal between Israel and Palestine and the formation of a Palestinian state.
Dealing with a timeline for continued talks on “final status” issues, rather than the contentious issues themselves, the conference delivered few changes to the status quo.
The summit of representatives from over 50 nations and international groups convened on Tuesday at the U.S. Naval Academy under the leadership of President George W. Bush to discuss the slow process of building a lasting regional peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours by creating a new state in the Middle East.
“Our purpose here in Annapolis is not to conclude an agreement. Rather it is to launch negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians,” said Bush in his opening remarks to the gathered delegates.
But by painting the process in terms that former Israeli negotiator Daniel Levy called a “Star Wars-like battle between good and evil”, Bush may be creating further rifts that will yield a wider gap in already-divided Palestinian and Arab populations, compromising the viability of a Palestinian state as well as his own grand regional aspirations.
Flanked by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during his initial comments, Bush read a joint statement agreed upon by both leaders.
Many observers did not believe that a joint statement would be completed and accepted by both sides in time for the conference because of continuing difficulties on the final status issues regarding the details of the formation of a new state.
The statement produced one of the few signs of concrete progress to emerge from the conference — the announcement of the formation of a steering committee towards the establishment of a Palestinian state and continual bi-weekly meetings between Abbas and Olmert. Bush said the committee would hold its first meeting on Dec. 12.
“We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008,” read Bush from the statement — a sentiment echoed by Olmert when he repeated the timeline for the upcoming bilateral talks in his comments.
However, many of the core differences between the Palestinians and Israelis were on full display in sometimes veiled and sometimes explicit references during Olmert and Abbas’ speeches.
“Tomorrow, we have to start comprehensive and deep negotiations on all issues of final status, including Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements, water and security and others,” said Abbas, essentially giving a laundry list of Palestinian issues to be addressed in the upcoming discussions.
Olmert began his comments by recounting the bombings of buses, cafes and recreational centres by Palestinian terrorists during his tenure as mayor of Jerusalem — alluding to the oft-cited Israeli concern about the Palestinian Authority being unable to provide security.
But Olmert also acknowledged that the Palestinian refugee situation plays a part in the anti-Israeli feelings in Palestine, saying, “I know that this pain and this humiliation are the deepest foundations which fomented the ethos of hatred toward us. We are not indifferent to this suffering. We are not oblivious to the tragedies that you have experienced.”
The acknowledgement is significant because Israelis have long made the ability of the Palestinian Authority to end violence directed at Israel a prerequisite to a Palestinian state. The concept was solidified by the multi-phased “roadmap” in which certain benchmarks needed to be met in order for discussion on Palestinian statehood to begin.
“The positive thing to come out of this was to reverse the order of the roadmap,” Levy told IPS. “The one new component today is that you have permanent status negotiations now in parallel with the roadmap.”
With critics deriding the ad hoc planning of the conference, all three leaders made comments defending its timing.
“I believe now is precisely the right time to begin these negotiations, for a number of reasons,” said Bush, citing the readiness of Abbas, Olmert and the international community.
Bush also made a point of his desire to use the conference to combat extremism in the region. He hopes that by bringing a broad Arab coalition into the peace process, it will create a favourable view of the United States in the Middle East to counter that extremism — particularly growing Iranian influence.
But this, too, has drawn criticism. The U.S. is widely perceived as only taking interest in the process when it is politically beneficial — as with the Bush administration’s reluctant endorsement of the “roadmap” to peace in 2003 just as it was trying to gain support for the invasion of Iraq.
“Olmert gave an uplifting and empathetic speech and Abbas’s speech was empathetic as well,” said Levy, now the director of the Middle East Policy Initiative at the New America Foundation. “It was the Bush speech that was the most undermining of the entire Annapolis exercise.”
“The world that they live in where isolating Iran and defeating Hamas all fit in nicely with the creation of the two-state solution does not fit in the real world. In the real world if you want a two-state solution, you need maximum consensus. You drive towards consensus, not division. And [Bush] lives in a world of division.”
Iranian-backed Hamas, not invited to the conference despite their de facto power sharing with Abbas’s Fatah faction, held a rally in Gaza on Monday night attacking any potential compromise with Israel. The group’s leader, Ismail Haniya, said that all land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River should be returned to Palestine, and, “We will not recognise Israel.”
Syria’s late entry into the conference with a lower level delegation on Sunday — despite its backing of Hamas and lack of diplomatic relations with Israel — is seen as evidence of the increasing isolation of the radical Islamic movement, though Syria drew flack of its own from Iran for dealing with Israel.
But with any significant U.S. and Israeli détente with Syria and other Arab countries still looking unlikely, it appears that Bush’s bid to build an anti-Iran coalition through the peace process could face the same hurdle as the roadmap — asking too much up front.
Another attendee with no official ties to Israel, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Saud Al Faisal, made strong statements at a press briefing at the Saudi embassy on Monday where he distanced himself from any normalisation of relations with Israel in the immediate future, saying that he would not shake hands with Olmert.
“We have not come here for theatrics,” said Al Faisal. “But we have come to do serious work to achieve peace and when it is accomplished and hands are extended to us for peace greetings, then we will shake hands.”
Washington’s misguided effort to look at the peace process through the lens of the “war on terror” may be a significant obstacle towards seeing a solution to the conflict itself, some analysts say.
“It is about a grievance,” said Levy, naming the occupation of Palestine by Israel. “You end the grievance and you solve the problem.”
© 2007 Inter Press Service
Another ill-concieved blunder born in cynicism and short-sighted hubris. If there was any real will for a peaceful resolution the US would simply instruct it’s puppet to pull back to the 1967 borders and recognize a Palestinian state (which we would assist).
Sad attempt by the White House for a positive legacy for Bush. This accomplishes nothing and goes nowhere. There has never been a serious attempt to recognize a Palestinian state. Sad.
“it’s” is not a possessive - “its puppet”
it’s is only a contraction (ain’t English fun?)
Since peace between Israel and anybody else is unrealistic, the best that could have been accomplished would have been to keep the conference going. As long as Olmert is over here he’s not likely to bomb Iran.
Instead Israel walked away with only the promise that they will talk some more.
And Georgie gets another little gold star for his behavior.
maybe Iran should tell its puppet to concentrate on its own well being rather than serve as its personal scapegoat, sacrificed on the altar of defiance to the western world.
To Jaded prole… you should inform yourself that it is the Hamas who does not recognize the Israeli state, and not the other way around.
Maybe Anapolis is utopia, but without risk, what gain can be? Peace efforts should never be undermined, no matter how cynical everyone has gotten to be.
It’s over already? One day? (smirk) Bet the colorless lady of color worked hard for her favorite one, Israel.
It’s just more of the same = nothing.
Anytime two or more meet for the purpose of peace, it is a good thing. Once you know somebody personally its harder to think of killing them.
While Bush prepares US for an attack on Iran, they talk of peace.
Why does this Administration continue to act “solo” in its feeble attempts to mediate something about which they know next to nothing (Peace)? Why not work on a peace process under the auspices of the United Nations which would include other nations along with the U.S.? We are not the end-all and be-all. The Bush bunch are doing their damnedest to emulate the colonialistic work of the old European colonial powers of years ago. We need a realistic approach:one that will work!
Bu$h the inferior couldn’t even name the guys at the podium or get the photo op out from behind the podium. Today Israel attacked the Golan Heights.
YEP, it’s another Bu$h the inferior success.
Bu$h the inferior is throwing a bone to Condi and lining up another doomed scenario that he and his supporters will say the next administration screwed up because they didn’t have his skill and determination.
If you don’t believe it remember the love fest at Reagan and Ford’s funeral. The media passed them off as modern day Lincoln and Washington.
Bush is saying he does not want to impose a solution.
Good coverup for fact he has absolutely no clue!
Why not get the European Union involved? The U.S. is biased towards Israel, for gawd’s sake. How ridiculous to leave it to the U.S.
It’s ridiculous. They spend one day talking about nothing and think they have achieved something. Everyone’s trying to build a “legacy” with no idea about what they are doing. It truly sucks.
Politicians fibbing to the news, reading it and then believing it…Again!
The summit was totally illegitimate, ethically, and because it’s illegal under international law. The sole legitimate government of Palestine is the one ELECTED by the majority of Palestinians themselves, which we ALL know to be HAMAS. Abbas’ “party” is NOT the legitimate representative of Palestinians; it is Hamas that was elected.
Hubris, indeed, because all three of these people or schmucks, Olmert, Abbas and whoever now plays the role of forming Bush’s mind, given he hasn’t one worthy of note, all of these people know fully well that it is HAMAS that the Palestinians chose to represent them.
All the “nice” words of Olmert at the summit are nothing less than total hypocrisy. It is good, however, that he has helped for ALL Americans to understand that he knows and agrees that the only reason why some, relatively few Palestinians have committed attacks against Israelis is due to the Israeli state’s crimes against the Palestinians to BEGIN WITH.
Bigot Americans should clearly realise that it is Olmert who made that statement.
QUOTE: “Olmert began his comments by recounting the bombings of buses, cafes and recreational centres by Palestinian terrorists during his tenure as mayor of Jerusalem — alluding to the oft-cited Israeli concern about the Palestinian Authority being unable to provide security.
But Olmert also acknowledged that the Palestinian refugee situation plays a part in the anti-Israeli feelings in Palestine, saying, “I know that this pain and this humiliation are the deepest foundations which fomented the ethos of hatred toward us. We are not indifferent to this suffering. We are not oblivious to the tragedies that you have experienced.” ”
He did not state that for honest reasons; he’s stating it because he knows that it is the truth and one he’s trying to employ in order to try to deceive the world into supporting this summit and what will follow, with the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, HAMAS, being continually and deliberately excluded. He’s using the truth for deception, for he knows certainly well that that stating the truth will not likely bring more protest against Israel, that it will continue to remain protected by Washington and all lying and ignorant Americans who prefer to side with EVIL.
The two above points are sufficient proof that not only is this summit totally illegitimate, all who side with Israel against the Palestinians are hellbent-founded or -based. It is Israel that began the crimes and which has done far, far worse to the whole Palestinian population, than what a few Palestinian freedom fighters did in blowing themselves up where a few Israelis were killed.
Ever see a graphic illustrating how much of Palestine Israel has expropriated, ROBBED, over the past roughly 60 years? It’s a HUGE amount.
Overall, very, extremely few Israelis have been killed by Palestinians compared to the Palestinians killed by Israeli forces; and we should also not forget the 10,000+ innocent Palestinians illegally abducted and then imprisoned and badly treated in Israeli prisons, without absolutely no recourse to justice at all, while Palestinians hold NO Israelis in Palestinian prisons AT ALL, NONE, ZIP, NIL. ETC.
IT IS NOT Palestinians who are the aggressors!! IT IS THE STATE OF ISRAEL that is the aggressor and has been throughout, for roughly 60 years, ever since the initial establishment of the previously non-existing state of Israel. IT IS NOT the Palestinians robbing the citizens of Israel of their land and refusing to recognise their status as a state; IT IS ISRAEL that has relentlessly kept robbing Palestinians of EVERYTHING THEY HAVE and refusing to recognise that Palestine IS ITS OWN STATE and that that MUST BE RESPECTED.
IT IS NOT the Palestinians committing the crimes; IT IS ISRAEL that IS committing them. The Palestinians are on the DEFENCE: NOT the offence. Israel is the offender!!!
People can deny these REALITIES and related laws and ethics all they want, but denying reality does not mean that it is any less real.
QUOTE: ” Aladdin November 28th, 2007 2:13 pm
maybe Iran should tell its puppet to concentrate on its own well being rather than serve as its personal scapegoat, sacrificed on the altar of defiance to the western world.”
IRAN IS NOT DEFYING ANYONE; IT IS TOTALLY WITHIN ITS LEGITIMATE RIGHTS AND IS A CO-SIGNATORY OF THE NPT, WHICH ISRAEL IS NOT, WHICH, IN TURN, THE WHOLE WORLD [KNOWS] TO BE [THE TRUTH] OF THE MATTER.
Iran’s puppet? Alladin has the sickest outlook and needs to move in with Bush, Cheney, etc.
“To Jaded prole… you should inform yourself that it is the Hamas who does not recognize the Israeli state, and not the other way around.”
As said above, Hamas can’t recognise the state of Israel; FIRST AND FOREMOST OF ALL, IT IS ISRAEL THAT MUST RECOGNISE THE STATE OF PALESTINE AND TO HOLD ITSELF ACCOUNTABLE TO INTL LAWS AND CONVENTIONS. Until Israel ceases its aggression and oppression, war really, upon the Palestinians, there is absolutely NO reason of any sane world that Hamas should recognise Israel for anything other than what it is; a hellbent war criminal, and criminal against human rights, one that absolutely refuses to hold itself ACCOUNTABLE and seeks Washington’s protection from the courts of the world.
THIS IS ALL PROVEN FACT; FACT, FACT, FACT, …!!
If gangsters move in on your neighborhood and steal your and your neighbours’ lands, demolish your homes, uproot all that produces food in your area, murders your children, your family members, your legitimate political representatives, refuses to allow the survivors among you to have continued access to drinkable water, medical facilities, preventing your children from being able to safely go to and return from school by murdering them and thereby terrifying the rest such that many would understandably be no longer interested in trying to go to school, ETC., ETC., ETC.
Would you be willing to recognise those gangsters as constituting a new state in your neighborhood?
You’re a hellbound LIAR if you say ‘yes’.
There is a little of my 2 pennies worth.
To Mr Aladdin
What Israel should Hamas recognize? Which borders? Which constitution? Are you forgetting colonies?
I am sure that inside himself, even Abbas is not convinced with this mascarade called Annapolis conference.
The only purpose of this conference is to let Mr Bush leave without an absolute failure…
Starting negociations? How many times are they going to start again?
One more thing: one should not forget that most of these arab ministers or whatever are not really followed by their people. That is the real problem.
Mr Bush wants “democracy” but he does’nt believe in it and never let it be in arab countries.
If Hamas had been included and respected, then sure, Abbas likely could legitimately attend, as long as the Palestinian people agreed. It is a democracy, so ….
That Syria attended, people wishing to know why should pay a visit to www.globalresearch.ca and read articles on this summit there. There’s one I read the other day and which explained that Syria was attending not due to taking any position whatsoever against the interests of Palestinians, but because of the Gholan or Golan Heights issue. This should have been mentioned in the IPS article, if it wasn’t.
And that Hamas has ties to Iranian government does NOT make it a puppet of Iran. Many people have relationships with others, many governments have relationships with other governments, and without there being anything like puppet involved.
No, it’s very doubtful that Hamas is puppet of Iran; they just have good relationship.
Bunch of HYPOCRITES is the common theme in this world.
“Israel is not a democracy. It is an Ethnocracy: a country run and controlled by a national group with some democratic elements but set up with Jews in control and structured to keep them in control.”-American Israeli, Jeff Halper, Founder and Coordinator of Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions/ICAHD, to me during one of my five journeys to Israel Palestine since June 2005.
“The truth which is known to all; through its army, the government of Israel practices a brutal form of Apartheid in the territory it occupies. Its army has turned every Palestinian village and town into a fenced-in, or blocked-in, detention camp.”- Israeli Minister of Education, Shulamit Aloni quoted in the popular Israeli newspaper, Yediot Acharonot on December 20, 2006.
President Bush stated in his speech at Annapolis that Israel “must show the world that they are ready to begin — to bring an end to the occupation that began in 1967 through a negotiated settlement.”
Thursday, November 29, 2007, is this year’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People that marks the 60th anniversary of the United Nations vote to partition Palestine into two states.
It also commences a year-long commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Nakba, the destruction of much of Palestinian society and the ethnic cleansing of Palestine which accompanied the establishment of the State of Israel.
Learn More:
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/
Eileen Fleming, Reporter and Editor
Http://www.wearewideawake.org/
Author “Keep Hope Alive” and “Memoirs of a Nice Irish American ‘Girl’s’ Life in Occupied Territory”
Producer “30 Minutes With Vanunu”
He is a fine one to be conducting peace talks! The Butcher of Baghdad! As far as I can see Bush is about a qualified to conduct peace talks as Adolf Hitler was in the 40’s. He knows literally nothing about peace or human dignity! It’s just one more feeble attempt of his at looking like a normal human being in his precious legacy! The man is sickening! I can’t even look at him anymore without getting the overwhelming urge to vomit.
I served in Palestine during my time in the British army in 1947 the Israelis were terrorists then and have remained terrorists since. Abbas who does he represent, not the Palestinians, that is the elected role of Hamas so how can a terrorist leader and a puppet decide anything.
I had an e-mail from my congessman this morning asking me to take part in a survey on the question of impeaching Cheney.
68% for 8% maybe 24% no.
Hi Eileen glad you’ve joined the CD community. I’ve read your website a bunch of times and its very good. Thanks for your work.
As for Annapolis does anyone buy into this nonsense? Its a dog and pony show and a complete joke. The Peace Process is really about buying Israel time so it can build more illegal settlements. Its a compleye sham and its used to try to fool the Arabs to make them feel as if their concerns are being heard. Its not working. How can there be peace when the root causes of the conflict are never addressed. There cannot be peace when the aggressor is given the upper hand and puts condition after ridiculous conditon on the oppressed. Again these are delay tactics.