Israel Matzav

Olmert will announce the division of Jerusalem today

The Annapolis conference mugging lynching (or gang rape as Frank Gaffney calls it in today's Washington Times) will take place today. The 'joint declaration' between Israel and the 'Palestinians' remains elusive. The Jerusalem Post reports this morning that there are three issues that are still open:

-All sides have agreed that two states should be established, but the Palestinians have objected to referring to Israel as a "Jewish state." The Palestinians and their Arab backers are concerned that a specific reference to a Jewish state would prejudice the right of Palestinians who claim a right to return to land they once owned inside Israel.

-American and Israeli officials are resisting Palestinian efforts to include language about "ending the occupation that started in 1967."

-The Palestinians want the document to set a one-year timetable for reaching a resolution. The Israelis do not want this, and the Americans are open the idea.

The first 'open issue' means that the 'Palestinians' are still insisting on the 'right of return.' The second 'open issue' means that the final borders are not settled. The third issue relates to timing. Note which of the big three issues is apparently 'agreed.' That's right, Jerusalem. Now look what Olmert says about his speech today:

The three leaders are scheduled to meet together in Annapolis Tuesday morning, where they will each deliver a speech. Sources close to the prime minister are saying that the speech will "not be motherhood and apple pie," but will likely be detailed and include "elements that Israelis have not heard before."

Bush, according to these sources, is also likely to deliver a speech that "will include more detail than we'd like to hear." The sources said that it was likely that Bush would include certain elements in the speech meant to satisfy both the Saudis and the Syrians, and which were possibly made as a condition for their attendance at the conference.

...

Regarding the position taken by a number of US organizations rejecting the government's right to discuss the status of Jerusalem, Olmert replied that Israel was a sovereign state that could decide every issue for itself.

It sounds like Olmert is about to give away Jerusalem. Those of you who reside outside Israel who think Jerusalem is the property of the Jewish people, and you have (or ought to have) a say in it, Olmert has just told you to - you know what. And it sounds like Bush may be throwing in the Golan and/or the Saudi plan to boot. Here's Olmert on the Golan:

When asked whether he would agree to a withdrawal from the Golan in return for peace with Syria, he said it was much too early to discuss this, but pointed out that former prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Binyamin Netanyahu and Barak were all willing to make a significant withdrawal from the Golan Heights.

Olmert did not provide any details regarding the mechanics of how the bilateral Israeli-Palestinian negotiations would progress after the meeting. He did, however, say that it was much too early to talk about a follow-up international conference, like one the Russians are promoting in Moscow in January where the Golan Heights and the status of the Sheba farms would be higher up on the agenda.

Score one for DEBKA because they had that story two days ago:

The Bush administration has also promised a follow-up Middle East conference in Moscow next January to be devoted to the Syrian and Lebanese issues. Sunday morning, the first of 40 delegations arrived in Washington. Damascus finally announced its participation Sunday afternoon.

...

DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources report: The Arab League thus accepted Syria’s new demand for land from Israel to include territory, the Shaaba Farms and Ghajar Village, which was previously part of Syria, but later claimed by Hizballah for Lebanon as the pretext for continuing its war on Israel.

This demand reopens the UN Security Council’s resolution of 2000, which determined the final Lebanese-Israeli borderline by the common consent of both governments and international endorsement.

By this package of concessions, Washington bought a calm transition of power in Beirut, where pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud left the palace quietly Friday night, Nov. 24, without a successor. The parliamentary vote for a new president was postponed until Nov. 30 – three days after the Annapolis Middle East conference opens and closes - for a week of haggling over a consensual candidate.

All I can say is pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We need it now more than ever.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:35 AM