Annapolis Summit: Exercise In Futility Or Not ?: Updated
I think it would be safe to say many of us supporters of Israel would see it as such because the Palestinians will just make demands that Israel can never concede to. James Lewis has a slightly different take in light of the above, the very fact so many Arab states will be attending is a de facto recognition, if unadmitted, of the Israeli State. It is a very interesting take on the matter and a must read. The opinions of my Jewish friends are much desired as Lewis sees this as a thaw in relations because of the common enemy in Tehran. Iran was not invited but Syria will attend, hmm?
Expectations are generally low on the Annapolis Middle East Peace summit starting this week. Yet a strong case can be made that the mere fact of this meeting between the Arab countries, the Palestinians and Israel is the biggest breakthrough in Israel-Arab relations since the 1979 Peace Treaty with Egypt.
Nothing else needs to happen for this conference to be an historic landmark. Why? Because in diplomacy, sitting down with an enemy in public is equivalent to official recognition. The rest is just words -- especially when any country's leader can pick up the phone and talk privately to any other.
The first peace conference with wide Arab participation therefore partially resolves the long denial of Israel's existence, one of the great stumbling blocks of the past sixty years.
More background history in another must read, I saw somewhere that borders can be negotiated but the State of Israel cannot be, IMHO, Golan and most of the West bank cannot be ceded nor can Jerusalem or Bethlehem.
6 comments:
They may talk to the Israelis but they probably won't give them the respect due as a nation.
Good post.....I think there was a lot of arm twisting here. I won't say by whom...... Reading Carol Glick's colomn on the conference was enlighting at JWR. We can hope for some success, but I wouldn't count on it. Stay well
The Saudis have released 1,500 Al Qaeda prisoners, saying that they have been converted and won't do it again (We all know how trustworthy they are!) and Faisel says he will not shake hands with Israel's PM. I doubt very much that anything will be accomplished at this conference.
The Israelis just need to be blunt and say, if you attack us again, we will drop a nuke to your capitol city. Period.
I think its informative to look at how this whole Annapolis exercise reflects on the Bush administration. Perhaps the straw that is breaking the camel's back for a lot of us?
regardless of who is "in power" why is ALWAYS israel who has to back down? why does the world (read that as the u.n.) place more value on what jimmy carter and the muzlims say then what is actually the truth? and just when DID palestine exist as a country? and - well you get my drift.
i am just so disgusted with how the bush administration and condi in general are treating israel in this whole process.
Post a Comment