hotair

Syrian ambassador: No peace plan this year
Official says no Bush administration enthusiasm for Mideast deal

updated 2 hours, 49 minutes ago
PITTSBURGH - Syria's ambassador to the United States says there will be no Israeli-Palestinian peace deal this year. He also is brushing aside a recent peace summit in Maryland as "an exercise in public relations."

Imad Moustapha tells The Associated Press ahead of a visit to Pittsburgh on Monday that there is no enthusiasm in the Bush administration to make progress in the Middle East peace process. Moustapha says there are powerful elements in the Bush administration who believe chaos is constructive in the region.

Moustapha says the Palestinians are also disappointed at the lack of progress in recent one-on-one talks with Israel.

President George W. Bush oversaw a Mideast peace summit in Annapolis in November where he announced that Israel and the Palestinians would aim to achieve a comprehensive peace deal by the end of this year.

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


Here we have, yet again, another shining example of the total lack of any understanding about the situation in the ME.

The Syrian ambassador is suggesting here that Bush is not really interested in receiving his Nobel Peace Prize. In his statement here, the Syrian ambassador is implying that the only way that a settlement can be reached, is by having the US government compel the Israelis to cave into the Arab demands. A tactic that has been tried already, and has proven itself to be a complete waste of time, and effort.

Simply put: 1.) No “Palestinian” leader is going to agree to anything, without the support of the governments of the surrounding Arab countries. 2.) The Israeli parliament is never going to ratify any treaty that does not implicitly recognize Israel’s sovereignty. (After the mess of Camp David, it took the Israeli parliament less than fifteen minutes to reduce Barak from Prime Minister, to Private Citizen.)

I should like to ask Mr. Moustapha, how (in his opinion) the Bush administration would be able to compel his government to accept any agreement that might be reached?

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DRS112

It doesn't help any that many here in this country, both right and left believe that any talks should take place without pre-conditions to those talks being accepted. Not only is it arrogance on our part, but it ignorant of the culture of the people in the ME and how they do business.

TrueBlueAmerican

Before talks can mean anything Israel needs to remove all its hit squads from Palestine and cease military incursions into the Palestinian territories.

Then Palestinian militants should stop firing rockets.

Theres no point in talking if Israel is going to murder its way through Palestine while it talks peace, and then play the role of the victim when the inevitable retaliatory attacks by the militants occur.

Then, Israel needs to recognize Palestines sovreignty and territorial borders. Then Palestine should recognize Israel. There is no point in recognizing Israel if Israel doesnt recognize Palestine.

hotair

The last time that I looked at a map, “Palestine” does not exist. The country is called Israel for a reason.

The current boarders (for Israel) are the original boarders as established in 1946, when the “British Mandate of Palestine” was originally partitioned. They are the only boarders that everyone (involved) has ever totally agreed to. The Israeli government has never accepted the occupation (from 1949 -1967) of either: Gaza (by Egypt) or of the Jordan Valley (by (Trans-Jordan) Jordan) as ever being legal. Despite the attempts of the UN to impose “Plan “D”“ on the Israelis.

Under the provisions of the Oslo accords. Number Two: Is the requirement for these Arabs to form a functioning government to: 1.) represent these people in negotiations with the Israeli government for a future state of their own. 2.) To relieve the Israeli government of the responsibility of maintaining the peace. Until this happens, the Israelis are compelled by international law to maintain the peace in their country. Civil War not withstanding.

As for just pulling out!!! That worked out so well in Gaza!!! A civil war, within a civil war!

Despite numerous calls for the UN to involve itself in this matter, they can not do it! The UN’s charter expressly forbids the UN from interfering with the internal, local problems of any nation. Unless the recognized, established government, of that country formally asks for UN intervention. To date, the Israeli government has not done that, and most likely never will.


Again . . . “Palestine” does not even exist. There is no sovereignty to recognize! There is no “Palestinian” government to recognize.

There are no boarders to recognize. These are the reasons for the negotiations that are called for in the Oslo Accords. To establish the boarders. Making demands is not negotiating. When someone else is even willing to give you some of their land, even if it is not the patch of land that you want, you are really in no position to demand anything.



The Oslo Accords, and the Madrid Conference both very clearly spell out the acknowledgment of Israel. The existence of the state of Israel in not the issue here, nor is it in question. Until the Arabs are willing to accept this, Israel is under no obligation to do anything.

You argue that the Israelis need to trust the Arabs, yet again, and thus take the first step, yet again. They have already done this! You need to take a closer look, at what life was like from between the time Arafat was forced into exile, and when Arafat returned. The peace, prosperity, commerce, trust, and mutual respect that existed then, has been completely destroyed since Arafat’s return.

The bottom line is: The Israelis tried it your way. Once!!! Take a good look at where it got them!!! If the Arabs really want the Israeli government to ever trust them again, then it is going to be up to them to earn that trust.

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So long, and thanks for all of the fish!!!

DRS112

I'd suppose it depends on the mapmaker.

BillCosby

Maps........ We don't need no stinking maps.. @ least ones we didn't draw ourselves to suite our own ends...........

Here is a nice map for you to start your research..........

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Preventive war is not war!!!!Counter-terror is not terror

Jonesy

We can compel Israel by severing our alliance. As more and more Americans learn the truth of this conflict, and our relative role, they might very well be against the alliance, at least, in its current form.

Jonesy

Wonderful argument. I've got an idea... i'll draw out a new map, putting all land in my name... then you all have to either move out, or die. It will perfectly legal, according to a legal document I myself will write.

BillCosby

Sure........... Just how are they suppose to find out???

Lets say he just comes clean on the deal.............

mr bush has a couple beers & decides to just get a few things off his chest..........

"Hell, we don't give a damn about no democracy, it's the damn oil"......

"Our friends do what their told.... OUr enemies don't, how the hell you think we tell um apart".....

"We have a special relationship w/ Israel.......... & if our friends or enemies don't mind themselves they'll find out just how special we can be...."

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Preventive war is not war!!!!Counter-terror is not terror

hotair

Thanks ever so much.

Yet . . . No such place called "Palestine!"

I guess that I should have specified a real map.

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So long, and thanks for all of the fish!!!