How Rice Won a Mideast Deal

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005 How Rice Won a Mideast Deal Behind the scenes of the Secretary of State's all-nighter to open Palestinian border crossings By ELAINE SHANNON/JERUSALEM

When Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived at Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah Monday morning, Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayad knew it was her 51st birthday. He said he had a present that wouldn't exceed the government gift limit. He reached into a brown paper supermarket bag and pulled out a shiny green bell pepper.

“These are really good,” Fayyad said. “These are not quite ready yet. In two more weeks they'll be ready for export. If we succeed, they'll be exported. And that will mean a lot to a bunch of farmers.”

Fayad didn't need to spell out the rest. Getting the pepper crop to market may have been as important for the Secretary of State as it was for Palestinian farmers: She considers a stable, self-sustaining Palestinian economy a cornerstone of the prospects for achieving peace via Palestinian statehood, and until other industries took root, Gaza's harvest would be a key component of the local economy.

Two weeks earlier, Rice had been warned by James Wolfensohn, the former World Bank chief sent by the U.S. and its allies as a special envoy to help reboot the Palestinian economy, that Gaza's harvest, which was almost due, would be likely to rot in warehouses. That was because Israel, which controls all access points into the Palestinian territories even after withdrawing from Gaza, and the Palestinian authority had been unable to reach an agreement that would let inhabitants of the territories travel and trade. The two sides were inches from a deal, Wolfensohn said, but were hung up on details.

"We need to try to close it," Wolfensohn had urged Rice. "If you're the Secretary of State of the United States, I would have to say there's a little more clout associated with that. And therefore, to push it over the edge one need not envoys but Secretaries of State."

Rice agreed. The Secretary of State, a diehard Cleveland Browns fan, put it this way: "Sometimes the last yard is the hardest." Also, she said, details weren't trivial: It wasn't unreasonable for Israelis to be obsessed with security, nor for Palestinians to be equally prickly about sovereignty and independence.

When she joined the talks, Israel was insisting that its own security personnel continue to screen the gateways, particularly the currently closed Rafah crossing linking Gaza to Egypt. The Israelis wanted to post surveillance cameras at the crossing to screen for suspicious individuals, weapons and even large sums of cash that could finance terror cells. But the Palestinians balked, arguing that this amounted to occupation by proxy

Wolfensohn had proposed to break the deadlock by having European personnel police the Rafah crossing, but the Israelis still insisted on access to the surveillance camera video feeds and computer data streams at the crossing. Also, the Palestinians wanted to have final authority. The Palestinians also complained the harvest couldn't wait for the months it would take to comply with Israeli demands that they install state-of-the-art scanners to screen trucks. So Wolfensohn threatened to walk, leaving the two sides, as he recounted over the weekend, to "blow each other up."

On Monday, Rice met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as well as with other senior officials, and also with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, pressing both sides to find the "will and creativity" to open not only Rafah but all the gateways in and out of Gaza and the West Bank.

As the odds on achieving a deal fluctuated all day, Rice's stubborn side kicked into high gear. "I'm not going to leave here until we get an agreement," she told an aide. She decided to delay her departure for Asia and return to Jerusalem after paying a condolence call on Jordan's King Abdullah in response to the Amman terror attacks.

When she returned from Jordan around 10 p.m., success was far from certain. "It will take all the power of the United States to push this one," said a Palestinian official.

But Rice was, says a State Department negotiator, “totally relentless.” She deployed her full arsenal of pesuasive techniques alternating between charm, relentless badgering and the intimidating suggestion that the most trusted advisor of the most powerful leader in the world was not going to leave town until she got what she came for. "When she focuses on something," says a U.S. official present, "she will use whatever it takes."

She gathered with other U.S. diplomats and Palestinian representatives in her suite for intensive talks over three hours, using a secure laptop to make line-by-line changes in a draft "agreement on movement and access." A top-level Israeli team arrived at her hotel about 1 a.m., producing a round of "elevator diplomacy" between Israeli and Palestinian delegations ensconced on different floors of the hotel. While she waited for one group to go and the next to arrive, Rice, full of nervous energy, paced the hall, popping in on junior staffers as they typed or proof-read. “Condi never got tired, never lost her edge or here sense of humor,” says a State Department negotiator. By 4:30 am the parties had agreed in principle. Rice allowed herself a two-hour nap, then went back into meetings until the six-page agreement was ready for release, shortly after 10 a.m.

The document commits Israel to permit the immediate export of the pepper crop and the rest of the Gaza harvest "on an urgent basis." By Dec. 15, Israel agreed, Israeli border authorities would process 150 export trucks a day through the Karni commercial crossing into their territory, and by the end of next year, that number would increase to 400 trucks a day. Israel also agreed to allow the movement of bus convoys between Gaza and the West Bank starting Dec. 15, allowing travel between Palestinian territories physically separated by Israel.

Israel agreed to allow the Palestinians to begin building a seaport and not to interfere with its operation. The document also committed the sides to serious talks on the construction of a Palestinian airport.

The security-sovereignty deadlock was resolved in a compromise in which the Israelis agreed to cede responsibility for camera surveillance and watch-list screening at Rafah to European personnel, while the Palestinians accepted that the Europeans would have final authority to order extra searches and computer checks on people and vehicles traveling from Egypt to Gaza.

Condi Rice put her reputation on the line for this mission and, for the moment, it appears to have paid off. “That we could get this done opens an international passage for the Palestinians, the first time since 1967,” says a State Department official. “For 38 years, Israel has controlled entry and egress for every Palestinian in the territories. And now they get to do it themselves, approximately 60 days after the Israelis departed Gaza.”

The Americans didn't get everything they asked for. “But we got a lot,” the official says. “What we wanted to do here is prove that things could be put together.”

The Secretary of State eschewed terms such as "breakthrough," warning that the test of the deal lay in its implementation. She has asked Wolfensohn to monitor progress and report to her every two weeks, vowing to return if necessary. "I think there's a chance," she said cautiously, "that if we can get through what were issues about how Gaza is going to operate, perhaps we can return to the bigger issues"

Rice's all-nighter demonstrated the extent of hands-on diplomatic effort required to get the two parties to achieve what she conceded was just one step towards the goal of establishing a Palestinian state that can live in harmony with its Israeli neighbor. Once the drama of its 13th hour surprise ending fades, the episode may be a sobering reminder of how long and arduous the journey remains — and of how much more may be required of the Bush administration and its successors if progress is to be sustained.

Jews to post on FR. Bigots, all of them.

You're being unfair. It's not just Jews, maybe the poster was referring to the Christian Zionists of FR? Evil bigoted lot whether Jews or Christian. LOL.

Read a few posts from any of those bigoted folks and you are ready to support Jihad.

There is no deal. The alledged deal is fiction. It is what my law profssors called 'an illusory agreement.' This is not even an agreement to agree. It is pure B.S. and a total waste of time. The 'deal' will cost more Israeli lives. If Rice staked her legacy on this arrangement she has made a huge mistake. Sharon ought to tell the U.S. to go chase a rolling donut.

Sharon ought to tell the U.S. to go chase a rolling donut.

Have you seen Sharon? If there is any donut chasing, he is likely to be a participant.

I can think of other choice words he should say to Rice..

I recently spent 3 weeks in Israel and was impressed
with what a cosmopolitan place it is. I agree that
a settlement with the Palestinans would be in Israels
best interests and the best way to guarantee that terrorism
has no future role in Israeli life.

BTW I met Bedu and Arab Israelis serving in the army. Gave
one a ride to his base on the Golan (serving in the Golanis).

If you are interested in bigotry, try reading the PA and Arab press sometime.

I read them too, and they are the other side of the same coin; plenty of hatred on both sides. I was referring to the bigotry right here on FR, where it is supposed to be prohibited and monitored by moderators.

Can you believe they actually allow those Jews to post on FR. Bigots, all of them.

Can't agree with you on that one.

This is a waste of time, of course. You're not going to change your mind, and others won't change their ways. However, for the record, not all Jews are Zionists. I know first hand that some Jews who are more orthodox in their beliefs don't agree with Zionism. And, as has been stated on this thread, only 20% of Israelis practice the Jewish faith (the holiday thing is a potemkin argument, just as many people celebrate Christmas without practicing Christianity).

So, there are plenty of Jews who don't spew bigotry against Muslims. Perhaps they remember the Irgun and feel some responsibility.

Zionists wreck FR, fine, that's been said before.

Time to provide examples for the moderators. Get these people out of here.

Allow the haters to justify their opions.

And perhaps save your credibility.

AM, just to copy you in, you should not only be interested, but I'd guess have much better search capability than anthem or I.

Can you believe they actually allow those Jews to post on FR. Bigots, all of them.... Can't agree with you on that one.

Missed your reply.

Excellent, we agree that the bigot Jews shouldn't be here. They ruin the place.

But, imo, it's put up or shut time.

Examples, specific examples. Ping the posters, let them respond. Anything less, you're a troll.

-------------

AM, sorry to have to ping you again, but you may have a Zionist problem here. You need to address the accusations.

Naturi Karta, that's that expensive sushi that poisons you if you use the wrong chef isn't it?

You're right, if they're representative of Jews, the loony Christian groups, not to hateful (like Zionists we're discussing on the other thread) I could pull up as representative of Christians is truly embarrassing as well.

Bigots work with what they have, and they have Naturi Karta.

If you can't find bigotry against the religion of Islam, Muslims in general and Palestinians in particular on FR these days, then I doubt you and I have much to talk about. I pinged Robinson himself to a thread full of it within the last month or so. I'm not a cop, nor am I interested in "research". I occasionally hit the abuse button on the worst sorts of crap, that's what it's for.

If you're keen on doing research and ridding the forum of these critters, you may want to look no further that rabidralph in post #13, or Sabramerican's tagline.

And, as has been stated on this thread, only 20% of Israelis practice the Jewish faith.

The poster said that 20% of Israelis are ORTHODOX. That is like saying that 20% of Catholics still follow the Latin rite, it doesn't mean that the others don't follow their faith.

Israel will soon hold more than half of the world's Jews. Many are like the ex-Soviet Jews, who a decade or two ago hardly knew what it was to be Jewish. The national character of Israel reflects the about 3,500 years of Jewish historical memory, probably better than our people reflect our fewer that 400 years of American history.

Actually, this is what he posted. Perhaps he meant "orthodox" but "observant" among my friends means keeping kosher, attending services and trying to keep the Sabbath, not Orthodox.

More than 20% of the Jewish population are Observant in Israel. The country is filled with them. They are the fastest growing demographic among the Jews of Israel. Did you visit any of the places that are holy to Jews in Israel?

More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism_in_Israel#Judaism_in_Israel

Gallup International reports that 25 percent of Israeli citizens regularly attend religious services, compared to 15 percent of Jewish French citizens, 10 percent of Jewish UK citizens, and 57 percent of Jewish American citizens.

Interesting statistic that a greater % of Jews attend services here than in Israel.

The Orthodox control the Ministry of Religion in Israel, e.g. marriages, funerals, and conversions. As one Israeli said, "In the U.S., people can be drawn to religion, because it isn't imposed on them."

But look at this statistic from another angle. By living in Israel, Jews are living in a Jewish orbit: the means of expression, the terms of reference, the shared history. As Israelis like to say, "The Orthodox service is the one we don't attend," that is, the orthodox, or traditional, is the point of comparison. To some extent, Israelis celebrate their religion on Shabat by going to the beach, schmoozing in the cafes, or just hanging out. It was a historic compromise that allowed for the nation's creation by secular Jews and observant ones. The compromise is always at risk of renting apart.

I liked your travelogue, and I too admire our President and Sec'y of State for striving to give ordinary "Palestinians" a productive outlet amidst the terror. But I believe you have not been fair in your posts to the suffering people of Israel who have been subjected to the most barbarous and disrespectful of life assault in the annals of history. Try to put yourself in their shoes.

By the way, the name of the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem is "Yad VaShem", the hand of God. How could you say there is not a word of God or speck of religion in that place of sacred memory. Shame, shame on you.

My advice, when searching for sources to bolster your "knowledge", read what you post. 57% of Jewish Americans regularly attend services. That's laughable.

By the way, the name of the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem is "Yad VaShem", the hand of God. How could you say there is not a word of God or speck of religion in that place of sacred memory. Shame, shame on you.

Why? Because I couldn't find it posted anywhere, the Jewish guide our Israeli friend hired just wandered off explaining nothing and then proceeded to get us lost all over Jerusalem. She couldn't even find the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or Western Wall. Fortunately I had a map and was able to hire a real guide in the Church since she didn't come in but I knew more about the Wall from simple guidebooks than either of the Jews. We paid good money for this "tour" including lunch in a restaurant with a "view of Bethlehem" that was actually in a strip mall with a view of parked cars, "view from the Mount of Olives overlooking Dead Sea" which didn't happen because the gates were closed when she took us there, "shopping in the bazaar" which didn't happen because we spent so much time being lost, etc. Needless to say, we did not go on the other two "tours" with this "expert" for which we had prepaid. By contrast, the Palestinians we found to take us around instead knew every inch of history like pros and having spent much time in the US spoke perfect English.

I do indeed agree it is a shame we did not know the meaning of the name and had such a poor introduction to Israel.

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