Rice Opens Shuttle Diplomacy in Mideast
CBNNews.com
October 14, 2007
CBNNews.com - JERUSALEM, Israel - For the second time in less than a month, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the region for five days of shuttle diplomacy to push through a joint declaration by Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) prior to the Bush administration's Middle East conference next month.
On Sunday, Rice met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
Rice is expected to press Israel to formulate a "concrete" declaration with the PA prior to the November meeting, while simultaneously trying to convince PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to back off on demands that Israel is unable to meet.
Negotiating teams from Israel and the Palestinian Authority began meeting last week to draft the final document.
According to Israeli media sources, Rice agrees in part with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak that the PA lower its expectations prior to the conference, tentatively scheduled for the end of November in Annapolis, Maryland.
During her five-day stay, Rice will also meet with Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beitenu), minister of strategic affairs and Eli Yishai (Shas), minister of industry and trade.
Last week, Yishai was the first Cabinet minister to oppose the Olmert government's negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.
Yishai said the talks should stop until the PA keeps its obligation to renounce acts of terror, which include the daily Kassam rocket barrage on southern Israeli communities.
Rumors have floated back and forth in the media as to what has and has not been agreed upon in a series of private meetings between Olmert and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Former PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, who is leading the PA negotiating team, insists on a decisive agreement prior to the November conference.
Qurei said the PA's position is immovable on all "core issues," including the re-division of Jerusalem; Israeli retreat from all of the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) and the Gaza Strip; PA sovereignty over the holy sites, including the Western Wall; and the return of an estimated five million Palestinian "refugees" to Israel.
In between meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah, Rice will travel to Jordan and Egypt to shore up support for the U.S. peace initiative.
Sources: Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
