Rice: 'Not enough Jewish lives at risk'
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice complained Monday night that Israel has not removed enough road blocks to Israel's removal of some roadblocks in the West Bank recently has not done enough to improve the lives of Palestinians there, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday night, as she concluded her visit to the region.Condi also managed to upset both sides by demanding that they conclude a 'memorandum of understanding' by the time President Bush arrives here next week.
According to Army Radio, Rice said US diplomats had toured the areas in question and deduced that the roadblocks that were removed were insignificant.
According to a government source, Rice wants such a document to make it clear to the international community that the negotiations are indeed progressing.What are a few Jewish lives and keeping a corrupt Prime Minister in power as compared with Condi's 'legacy?' A 'small' price to pay, no?
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But Rice told Israeli officials during her recent visit to the region that even though both sides had reported progress, "the world doesn't believe it." The fact that no concrete document has yet emerged from the negotiations, combined with the lack of dramatic progress in improving the daily lives of Palestinian residents of the West Bank, encourages disbelief, she argued, and this is liable to undermine the process.
She therefore suggested formulating a memorandum of understanding that would outline the general principles to which the parties have agreed - mainly on the issue of borders, but also on the other core issues.
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However, both the Israeli and Palestinian officials with whom she met expressed reservations about the idea. "The work of drafting such a document will merely halt the progress and the momentum," argued one Israeli official.
"Instead of negotiating, we will start dealing with commas and periods in the draft and try to steal corners from each other," added another.
Both Israel and the PA say the talks have made significant progress, but both would prefer to keep this progress under the media's radar for now. The main progress has been on the issue of borders - the fate of the settlement blocs, territorial exchanges and the "safe passage" between the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Jerusalem has not yet been seriously discussed, and on the refugees, both sides have merely presented their initial - and highly divergent - stances.
Palestinian sources said that during her recent visit, Rice pressed both parties to finalize an agreement on borders quickly, as that is the issue which all sides view as easiest to resolve.
According to these sources, Israel initially expressed a willingness to cede 90 percent of the West Bank to the Palestinians, while the PA demanded at least 98 percent. In particular, Israel wants to retain the major settlement blocs and the Jordan Valley, but the PA rejects these demands. Though some progress has been made, the Palestinian sources said they saw no chance of resolving these disputes in the 10 days remaining before Bush's visit.
Israeli officials who met with Rice said their impression is that she is determined to produce an achievement at almost any price, given the political capital that both she and Bush have invested in the Palestinian issue over the last year.
During her visit, Rice also expressed grave concern over the latest police investigation against Olmert, fearing that it would negatively affect the negotiations. Even if the case is ultimately closed, Israeli officials said, Rice fears that it could hinder Olmert's ability to more forward with the talks.
I've become cynical enough that seeing an Israeli Prime Minister willing to sacrifice his nation to serve his own personal self-interest does not surprise me anymore. But I thought more highly of the United States and didn't think they would be willing to sacrifice their allies' lives for personal (not national) goals. Part of my youth was during the Watergate scandal - I was 17 years old when Richard Nixon was forced to resign. While he endangered his own life traveling to this region in the Spring of 1974, he didn't endanger Americans or Israelis to do so - only his own failing health (he had phlebitis in his leg at the time of the trip). And although he didn't immediately send supplies to Israel during the Yom Kippur War, that had nothing to do with his personal self-interest. Condi has brought selfishness to a new level. I am deeply disappointed.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:43 AM
4 Comments:
Condi and Olmert are the two most selfish people we've seen in a long time. One suspects they both want a meaningless peace of paper for the political prestige value more than for any concrete achievements it would demonstrate. All this to keep an Israeli Prime Minister from facing prison goes beyond chutzpah. I can understand Olmert's self-interest. But what can one say of Condi and her boss who will be gone from office in seven months? The last reason to gamble with Jewish lives is to boost Bush's popularity back at home.
Let's just string them along. We can negotiate until the "Palestinians" get tired of it. It might take oh, 10 years. That should work.
The only reason Bush started this is because Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize. And little Bushie wants one.
I'll just keep repeating this. The US Administration wants the Saudis to pump more oil and convince the rest of OPEC to follow suit. This is the price.
The thing is, the US can't deliver. If there is another terrorist attack, Olmert could lose his coalition. If the investigation moves the wrong way, Olmert will lose the coalition. If Olmert is perceived as giving too many concessions, he will lose the coalition.
Say Chello to my lil Bibi.
I don't think I've ever made the following comment and I hope never to have to make it again:
BITCH!
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