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Peace Now? Abbas and Netanyahu Arrive in Washington for Talks

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had a packed schedule Tuesday as she lay the groundwork for peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, set to begin at a White House dinner Wednesday night. First she met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, then with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, followed by Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Later she saw former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and finally, as everyone was anxious to wrap up for dinner, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
But not half-way through her schedule, news came in that four Israeli Jews had been shot and killed in the West Bank, near the city of Hebron -- two men and two women, one of them pregnant. Hamas claimed responsibility, reminding everyone that even if President Abbas and Fatah were at the table, they were not. Not to mention reminding everyone that sabotage of these fragile, still inchoate, talks is all too easy.

That ominous act cast a pall on the late August quiet in Washington, as the leaders of Israel and Palestine arrived, separately, willing, if not exactly ready, to begin direct peace negotiations for the first time in 20 months.
"While the parameters of an ultimate comprehensive peace agreement are well known, we do not expect to achieve peace in one meeting," Philip J. Crowley, a State Department spokesman, told reporters on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday, acknowledging the shootings, Crowley added: "We are cognizant that there could be external events that can have an impact on the environment. We also are cognizant that there may well be actors in the region who are deliberately making these kinds of attacks in order to try to sabotage the process.
"We will be relying on, first and foremost, the commitment that we think the leaders themselves have made to pursue peace at this time, understanding that there's a window here where we think peace can be accomplished." said Crowley. "And our goal is to do so, to reach an agreement, within one year."
Crowley called the restart of talks a "reinvigoration" of an "intensive process" where "going forward, the leaders will meet on a regular basis," with the United States as "substantive participants."
But reinvigoration is seen by many as a euphemism for reviving the dead. On the table are a myriad of issues that have haunted and undone talks stretching back to 1991. Borders. Security. Refugees. Water rights. And settlements. The last threatens to upend the entire process before anyone has poured the first glass of water.
The Israelis have already dug in their heels about extending the Sept. 26 deadline on settlement building. And President Abbas, in a televised speech on Sunday, announced that "Israel will be held accountable for the failure of the talks if settlement construction should continue." Further, he said: "I have to say honestly and clearly that we notified all sides, including the American administration, before we agreed to conduct these talks, that Israel alone will bear the blame for the failure of the negotiations if the settlement construction continues in any way on any Palestinian land captured since 1967."

In a press phone briefing, Steve Clemons, Daniel Levy and Amjad Atallah of the New America Foundation debated whether the talks were a "last supper" or a "fresh start" and addressed some of the stickier issues facing the Obama administration as the White House chefs prepared dinner for Tuesday night's reception of Netanyahu and Abbas.
Pointing out this is has been a "national security priority from day one" for the administration, Daniel Levy noted there is a "sense of skepticism and doom and gloom in the region," partly attributable to the "the sense that people don't feel there is an Obama-specific approach." Noting that the administration hasn't – yet – distinguished itself on the issue, or proposed a plan different from paths to peace used by previous administrations or secretaries of State, he nevertheless left room for President Obama to save the day, partly by reinvigorating the Israeli left.

"I would strongly argue that that Israeli left is not going to come out on its own," he said. "And we are going to have to perform a C-section to get them out, and the Obama administration is going to have to be the surgeon." In an op-ed for the Huffington Post published Tuesday evening, Levy went further, explaining that there are rumblings of a new wave of leftist peace activism in Israel, but all in its infancy, all waiting for Obama the "surgeon."
In the same call, Amjad Atallah explained that, even beyond the tremendous problem of Hamas, there is no concensus on the question of peace among the Palestinian parties considered legitimate actors.
"Abbas is on a ledge," he said. But he holds out hope that he might be pulled back. "If you are going to have a heroic leader drive this forward, I still believe there is a lot in Washington to suggest Obama might end up being that person."
Back in the State Department briefing room, P.J. Crowley went further. "What we need is the political will and creativity to work through the complexity and challenge of these issues and ultimately reach an agreement that ends the conflict.

"But most importantly, we just need determination and political will on both sides, and also a commitment . . that as we re-launch this process, everyone has a stake in the outcome, everyone has a responsibility to create . . conditions that allow a successful negotiation to be reached, and to avoid taking actions or making statements that can hinder progress."

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39 Comments

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Charles

There will be no peace until both sides decide to honor agreements. As long as the Palestinians lob rockets into Isreal there can be no peace! Peace will only come when both sides want peace and that time has not yet arrived!!

September 26 2010 at 7:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
alraheem

The solution to this problem is very simple. America can not afford to lose this round of peace talks. President Obama should tell both parties that United States will provide proction to both people if they both settle to pre 1967 borders and live side by side. This is the only solution. We have to be trustworthy and just to both people. We can not risk United States security for any other nation. God help us solve this crisis. Time is now!

September 01 2010 at 10:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
cousinpookie54

Does anyone think that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas looks like the Rev. Wright? If so, then that is the proof that Rev Wright is a Muslim. Either that Abbas was Obama's spiritual adviser for 20 years.

September 01 2010 at 7:52 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
HELLO JIM

Three problems face the Palestinians today. First, there is thr ptoblem of unity in the West Bank. PM Fayyad, by creating the infrastructure for a new Palestinian state, is moving steadily to resolve this issue. Second, there is the problem of building trust with the Israeli government. President Abbas is struggling with that one. Finally, there is the division between the PLO and Hamas. Although it may seems hopeless at the present time, this is one of President Abbas' deepest concerns. Palestine needs both its President and its Prime Minister in order to address these issues. The recent surge towards a peace settlement in the Israeli left is indicative of something brewing under the surface as these talks in Washington commence. Change is in the air; and change is demanded from both sides. President Obama is right to be concerned that someone might try to upset the applecart, We have a year to see how things turn out. As an Israeli might put it: Here's to Life!

September 01 2010 at 2:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
vallesula

It seems like the New York Yankis and the Boston Red Sox have arrived on the umpire's turf; if the ball players, of the Red Sox Team, appear to be a little disturb it's because they've arrived knowing fully well that the UMPS are biased and oppinionated and DO FAVOR the YANKIS...; is this trip just another exercise in futility and a waste of time or ..., do you think this time there will be a good ball game - with the umpus refrainingto take sides????

September 01 2010 at 1:57 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
shellsangels

Gosh, I hope they can find a way for a settlement. There will never be peace with the Arab world until they do. Rather we want to admit it or not, our support for Israel has caused hatred towards the United States. I know many call all Muslims terrorist, but that label can also be placed on the Israelis. Just Google the King David Hotel Bombing. It depends on what side you are on if you call them terrorist or freedom fighters. I am not trying to take sides with either party because there is enough blame to go around. Pray for peace!

September 01 2010 at 1:50 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
jmbkanga2

I have little optimism about the success of these talks. It's unfortunate to hear of the shooting of four Isaelis right before the talks began, so I hope it won't cast a pall over this opportunity. Israel will not abandon the disputed territories and will continue to build new settlements, which has been a major stumbling block. Despite pressure from the US and censorship from the rest of the world, Israel will not back down. Any concessions must come from the Palestinians. Let us not forget how the state of Israel was founded by the UN in 1948, mostly orchestrated by the Americans and the British. Israel was carved out of Palestine and lands were confiscated from Palestinians where their families may have lived for centuries. Remember the Jewish people were forced out of Palestine 2,000 years ago, so it has been the home of the Palestinian people since that time. Let us also remember that the Palestinians were in no way responsible for the Halocaust, yet they have suffered as a result of it. They are the ones who lost their homes and lands in order to establish a Jewish state and no one asked them how they felt about it and they were not compensated. How would Americans feel if part of our country were confiscated to set up a state for a people who had no country of their own? How would we feel if homes and lands of Americans were confiscated with no compensation to establish this state? The Israelis seem incapable or unwilling to see the situtation from any other point of view except their own. They insist they are The Chosen Ones and deserve this land, despite of the impact on the Palestinian people. So nothing will come of these talks because Israel will never yield anything for the sake of peace. By the way, we send Israel $10 million PER DAY in financial and military aid, so it's probably American money being used to build these illegal settlements in the disputed territories.

September 01 2010 at 1:35 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to jmbkanga2's comment
Gary

Just had an interesting thought. Both the Jews and the Palestiniens, i. e. Arabs are Semites. Both decendents of Abraham. I guess that the particular name that you call your same God is worth genocide!

September 01 2010 at 2:27 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
Andy

I would ask PD censors to grant me a little leeway here. If you see the post, they have. If not only they and I will know who they favor in this case. But enough of that. Picture this-Obama meets with Netanyahu from Israel first, and tells him-"Look you hot headed, uncompromising, troublemaker, if you don't give in to the Palestians, the U.S. will see to it Israel is screwed, so cave in". Then Obama meets with Abbas and tells him-"Hello my Muslim brother, I just met with that clown Netanyahu and told him Israel had better cave in to your demands or else. If they want screwed, we will screw them." Netanyahu was shocked, oblivously, and for good reason, but Abbas was delighted. He replied to Obama, my Muslim brother, it is so great to have a Muslim in charge now. Now we can screw Israel together. This is meant as sarcasm, and to illustrate the manner that the U.S. has meddled into the Middle East and only made the tensions worst. What is really needed is for Israel and the Palestians to meet with open minds, ignoring the meddling of outsiders, and agree to, and put into action, the route to lasting peace. Both sides must stop being nasty and look at each other as having rights. Then determine how those rights for each side can be achieved in a manner that uplifts Jews and Palestians alike. Otherwise, these talks will never succeed and the killing will continue. Let all decent men hope and work towards that peace.

September 01 2010 at 1:22 PM Report abuse -3 rate up rate down Reply
Luette

The bible is 100% accurate, and says in the End of Days the generation that see's Israel become a nation is the last generation before all prophecy is completed. I speaks of the peace and safety cried for, Israel becoming a burdensome stone to all the world, world economic crisis, one world government, Russia, Turkey, Iran alliance against Israel, and considerably more. God says they will cry peace, when there can be no lasting peace. One man will create a peace agreement, which will be followed by war. There can be no peace with countries that only want the total inihalation of another.

September 01 2010 at 1:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Luette's comment
HAHAHAHA

Sorry, but you lost us when you said the bible is 100% accurate. You do know it was written by man, not God, right?

September 01 2010 at 2:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tejinder10

All Israel has to do is to obey UNO's resolutions on midle east and there will be peace. Israel has put palestinian in concentration camps for the last 43 years under the name of Security and has fooled the rest of the world..

September 01 2010 at 1:17 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply

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