Annapolis

A Palestinian View: Abbas' absense would have a dramatic effect

President Mahmoud Abbas [Abu Mazen] is known as the Palestinian politician most dedicated to a peacefully negotiated end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. His possible absence from the scene could have serious implications for the peace process.

A Palestinian View: Reviving the peace process?

In the run-up to the meetings of the United Nations General Assembly and the Quartet later this month in New York, the region is witnessing feverish diplomatic activity.

George Mitchell, the US Middle East envoy, is holding meetings with Palestinian and Israeli leaders. Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, popped down to Cairo for talks with Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, has just concluded a tour of several Arab countries.

An Israeli View: Try a limited Phase III

In recent weeks, we have revisited phases I and II of the roadmap. In my assessment of the two sides' performance in Phase I, Israel was found most wanting, particularly on the issue of settlements and outposts, with the Palestinians having made a far more serious effort to fulfill their commitments regarding security and institution-building. Phase II was understood, upon reassessment, to comprise important components of US President Barack Obama's appeal to the Arab world to offer Israel incentives for freezing settlement construction.

An Israeli View: Obama is deep into phase II

The roadmap seemed to have been stillborn in 2003 when it was introduced by the Quartet after extensive negotiations with Israel and the PLO. The principal obstacle to implementing it back then was leadership on all sides: US, Israel and the PLO.

An Israeli View: Still relevant

As we begin a review of the roadmap's three phases, it is fascinating to contemplate the enduring relevancy of this document. Back in 2003 when it was introduced, the clear impression of many observers, myself among them, was that the roadmap was stillborn. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat would interfere with the efforts of newly-appointed PM Mahmoud Abbas to restrain Palestinian violence. Israeli PM Ariel Sharon would insist on Palestinian compliance on ceasing violence before he froze settlement construction and removed outposts. US President George W.

An Israeli View: A blow to the chances for peace

The Israeli-Palestinian final status negotiations launched by the Annapolis meeting of late 2007 never seemed to have a serious chance of success. The leaders on all sides--Israeli, Palestinian and American--were either too weak or too disinterested. Some supporters of the negotiations, which lasted throughout most of 2008, went so far as to argue that even hopeless talks were important as a means of underpinning the security and economic confidence-building measures being implemented simultaneously in the West Bank.

A Palestinian View: A fundamental difference of understanding

In recent weeks we have witnessed an exchange of public statements between former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas regarding the Annapolis negotiations process. The exchange is reminiscent of the post-mortem that followed the failure of the Camp David final status negotiations between Ehud Barak and the late President Yasser Arafat.

An Israeli View: A Critical absence of urgency

On the thirteenth anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, at a memorial ceremony on Mt. Herzl in early November 2008, then-PM Ehud Olmert delivered one of his last speeches in office. He sought to leave the mark of his vision regarding the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the solution required by the state of Israel.

Interview with Gilead Sher: A very typical first meeting

Earlier today, The Pulse interviewed Gilead Sher, former Chief of Staff and Policy Coordinator for Israel's Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak.

Pulse: How do you think the meeting went this week between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu?

Sher: Diplomatically speaking, it was OK.  It was polite, well organized and nothing unexpected occurred. It was very typical of first meetings between a newly elected Prime Minister and the President of the United States.  But in terms of substance the differences and divergences are quite evident.  

Saeb Erekat: We Submitted a Palestinian-Israeli Peace Offer to George W. Bush

Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian Authority official and a chief negotiator of the Annapolis peace talks , told Israel Radio today that:

In December 2008 PA Chairman Abu Mazen submitted to US President George Bush a document citing the positions and proposals that had been presented in the course of the negotiations with Israel. A map was appended to that document.