Posted on 03/27/2007 10:56:15 AM PDT by blam
Israel snubs Condoleezza Rice
By Tim Butcher in Jerusalem
Last Updated: 3:01pm BST 27/03/2007
Condoleezza Rice received a humiliating snub from Israel yesterday when it refused her offer to act as negotiator between its government and the Palestinian authorities.
Miss Rice met with Mr Olmert in an effort to revive Middle East peace hopes
The American Secretary of State, who was attempting to kick-start final status talks on the creation of a Palestinian state during a visit to Jerusalem, was forced to postpone a press conference planned on Monday evening after tense discussions with the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
With Israel refusing to give in, Miss Rice was forced to head back to Washington unable to announce any major breakthrough on the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian question.
America had hoped to be able to cite progress in the Middle East peace process as a counterweight to its regional unpopularity arising out of its troubled occupation of Iraq.
The problem from Israel’s point of view is that final status talks cannot begin while the current Palestinian unity government fails to meet international conditions of renouncing violence, recognising Israel and accepting all existing Israeli-Palestinian agreements.
The unity government contains independent ministers and others affiliated with Fatah, a movement Israel does negotiate with, but the fact that it is dominated by representatives of the Islaimist movement Hamas means it fails to meet the three conditions.
“These conditions are not Israeli conditions, but international conditions demanded by the international community,” said Miri Eisin, a spokesman for Mr Olmert. “Israel has made clear that when the conditions have been met, then Israel is willing to enter into full negotiations.”
When asked about Miss Rice’s offer to act as interlocutor, she said: “That was just one idea.
“Secretary of State Rice came with many diverse ideas and we are grateful for her direct involvement which is very positive and gives added momentum.”
Miss Rice read a prepared statement yesterday - 12 hours after the planned press conference was meant to be held - in which she sought to put the most positive spin her latest visit to the region, the fourth in the last four months.
She said Mr Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian National Authority, had agreed to meet fortnightly to discuss day-to-day matters although she conceded final status talks were some way from starting.
“As I’ve noted before, we’re not yet at final status negotiations,” she said.
“These are initial discussions to build confidence between the parties.”
Mr Olmert already meets regularly with Mr Abbas. But the Israeli prime minister has had some harsh words for the Palestinian leader, accusing him of “breaking promises” over the creation of the new unity government.
Mr Olmert’s office said Mr Abbas had committed himself repeatedly to not forming a unity government until Gilad Shalit, the Israeli corporal captured by Palestinian militants last June, was released.
Israel is angry the unity government has been formed without Cpl Shalit’s release, in breach of Mr Abbas’s undertaking.
The focus of the Middle East peace process shifts to Saudi Arabia tomorrow, where the Arab League is due to meet with Israel-Palestine at the top of the agenda.
I hope it's true, but I don't trust the British press.
President Bush and Dr, Rice keep pushing for a Palestinian State. These people arent ready for a State. Right now its a Welfare State. If all the aid going in there were cut off they would all starve. They were give greenhouses and established business for them when Israel moved out, They destroyed them. All they wish to do is mirder kill and kidnap. A State ???> They dont need a State, they need a tyrannical ruler that can control them with an iron fist.
Its all they understand.
Yeah right, as if "citing progess" will win Muslim "hearts and minds." The U.S. will never be popular with the Muslim world, and the sooner this (and every other) administration figures that out, the better. But we can be respected and feared if the appropriate action is taken. Still waiting.....
That's good snubbin'.
Regards.
A reasonable point of view, obviously. Conversely, the Bush admin's view that Israel should sign a deal with a terrorist-led group of squatters who've failed to abide by any conditions of the President's so-called "road map to peace" is most unreasonable.
I have been a little disappointed in Condi lately. I really really like her and don't want to criticize her too harshly, but some of the things she's been saying lately--where is it coming from? Is she just doing her job and bidding of GW and others? The fact is that Hamas is really running the Palestinian show right now and they pretty much want nothing but the destruction of Israel--not a return to the 1967 borders. Fatah, for all its bastardry, is a secular organization (that has had to incorporate it's own fair share of radical Islamist views). But they are corrupt, inept, and if they see some kind of a deal are buyable--they'd sell their mother for the right price. Not with Hamas. So why would Israel (except for the doves) want to get involved in any kind of peace negotiations at this time. In reality, I think we'd be better off putting Palestinians on the shelf for a good while. All the bloviating by our gov't is just to keep our own left wing slightly happy and hopefully fractionally less critical (as if it really mattered).
About time. They should have sent every Sec of State since Kissinger a packing. Especially the ones who insist they bow to the Palestian threats and acts.
Good!
Condi '08.......hehehe...remember that line?
Hopefully that will not be a reality.
Exactly. Condi is just paying lip service to all these proposals until Olmert is gone. One of the "conditions" she and Bush consistently insist on is "recognition of Israel" and "renunciation of violence" before anything else is even discussed. No pressure on Israel from our side to give up any "land for peace", unlike Clinton making Israel give up more and more land at the signs of more and more "intifada".
Keeps everybody ticked off at "Palestinians" / Hamas, what can be better? They've already shown in Gaza that they can't live with each other, let alone Israel - a "grand experiment", a great showcase.
Keep playing, keep them "talking" until Israel will get someone (Bibi?) who is going to make sure she'll be ready for Hamas, Hizbollah, and Iran.
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