Posted on 12/06/2006 1:00:35 PM PST by West Coast Conservative
A reference to Palestinians' "right of return" in the report issued by the high-level Iraq Study Group broke a diplomatic taboo which sparked immediate concern in Israel and surprise among Middle East policy experts.
The reference was buried deep inside a 160-page report that urged US President George W. Bush to renew efforts to revive Israel-Palestinian peace talks as part of a region-wide bid to end the chaos in Iraq.
"This report is worrisome for Israel particularly because, for the first time, it mentions the question of the 'right of return' for the Palestinian refugees of 1948," said a senior Israeli official, who was reacting to the US policy report on condition he not be identified.
A Middle East analyst who was involved in the Iraq Study Group discussions but did not participate in drafting the report expressed surprise when the reference was pointed out to him by a reporter.
"It's hard to know whether that language got in there because of carelessness -- I know there were many revisions up to the very last minute -- or whether it was a deliberate attempt to fuse something to the Bush rhetoric which wasn't there before," the analyst said.
The 1993 Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians calls for a resolution of the issue of Israeli and Palestinian "refugees" as part of a final status agreement that would include the creation of a Palestinian state.
But they do not use the term "right of return", which is a long-standing Palestinian demand -- rejected by Israel -- that Palestinians who fled or were driven out of what was to become the Jewish state in 1948, as well as their descendants, be allowed to return home.
Bush, in a 2002 speech in the White House Rose Garden, became the first US president to formally back the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, but he also did not mention a right of Palestinian 'return'.
The bipartisan Iraq Study Group's co-chairman is former secretary of state James Baker, who as the top diplomat for Bush's father in the early 1990s clashed with Israel over its handling of the Palestinian issue.
Among his group's 79 recommendations for a policy shift on Iraq, number 17 concerned five points it said should be included in a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
The final point in the list was: "Sustainable negotiations leading to a final peace settlement along the lines of President Bush's two-state solution, which would address the key final status issues of borders, settlements, Jerusalem, the right of return and the end of conflict."
"'Right of return' is not in Oslo I or Oslo II, it's not in the Bush Rose Garden speech, it's not even in UN 181, the original partition resolution -- it's part of the Palestinian discourse," said the US analyst.
<< Sounds like a bunch of intellectual lightweights. >>
Intellectually and morally bankrupt.
James Baker, co-chairman, Secretary of State and reelection committee chairman in the GHW Bush administration;
Lee Hamilton, co-chairman, failed "Democrat" congressman;
Larry Eagleberger, short-time Secretary of State - GHW Bush
Vernon Jordan, gofer/golfer/pimp for the incidental "president" Cli'ton;
Edwin Meese, former president Reagan's Attorney General;
Sandra Day O'Connor former Supreme Court swing vote;
Leon Pannetta, Cli'ton Chief of Staff;
William Perry, Defence Secretary under President Cli'ton
Charles Robb, failed "Democrat" senator;
Alan Simpson, former "moderate" senator.
Just living down to his anti-semitism:
"Fuck the Jews; they didn't vote for us anyway."
- James Baker
exactly..country club good ole boys like this make it real hard to convince Jews to vote right wing.
Bush 41's men were never friendly to Israel...not a surprise.
Bush 43 should use this report to clean his dog's mess
So your only tactic is to attack Israel, for not continuing to support Bush when he offers to sell Israel out...for 30 pieces of silver (in this case assistance from the Syrians and the Iranians)? I still can't see why you think this is acceptable or laudable. Or why Gates is the new SecDef.
Changing your tune now, huh?
If Gates becomes president of Israel then maybe he'll have some say on the issue of the Golan heights. Until then, I wouldn't worry too much.
bookmark
That is such an ooooooooooooooooold game
I never attacked Israel ..
???
I've said the same thing from the beginning. The report compromises Israel's ability to exist. It calls for cut-and-run on Iraq. It is lunacy. Anybody affiliated with the report should be kept far away from government. That includes Mr. Gates. I still don't get why Bush appointed him or why the Senate was in such a hurry to confirm him.
They could easily have substituted the entire report with a simply easy to waive white flag of surrender.
This report is a joke.
Baker is now a joke despite his "brilliant legal mind".
An elitist know it all report for the elitstist know it all beltway crowd.
Nevil Chamberlin would be proud.
It x42 all over again.
Next we have the raising of the taxes.
This is not a report it is an intervention against GWBush by his daddy's a-hole snobs.
Zogby's latest questionnaire had 'right of return' questions. I responded 'hell no.'
Either we are equal or we are not. Good people ought to be armed where they will, with wits and guns. NRA KMA Merry Christmas
Thank you, FRiend... the twilight years of this administration are becoming a bad joke. And I say that with great regret, and sorrow.
The report was referring to the process of Palestinians returning to their home countries in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. So far these coutires haven't allowed them back.
I'm not talking about the report itself
New rule for the 21st century: NO TEXANS ANYWHERE NEAR NATIONAL OFFICE.
Throw the Jews down the well...
No it doesn't. It refers to allowing millions of Arabs INTO Israel. That is identical to calling for the elimination of the state of Israel. That's Hamas' only demand... and for good reason.
What are you talking about?
I think this is about the DC Elites fearing their job security is in peril.
They want cold war style endless negotiations.
They are going to use the next two years to secure their endless negotiating jobs.
Baker will be a special envoy to the Saudis, and the Democrats will be playing the Hamas angle.
There was a passing comment that Baker is a master of the leak and spin to PR committee reports. I think this is a game where the MSM is being willingly played. They know the deception but they are more interested in being a good leftist rather than doing the job of the fourth estate.
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