After an abundance of coverage on national television, and a surprise appearance on a certain International Relations quiz, the first direct peace talks between Israel and Palestine in nearly seven years concluded the same way it began– with awkward handshakes and forced smiles. The one-day session, led by President Bush, featured 44 participating countries, all of which understand the importance of stabilizing the region. Although Bush has “held Mideast peacemaking at arms’ length for most of his nearly seven years in office,” he recently pledged to devote his effort during his time as president “to do all [he] can to help [Israel and Palestine] achieve this ambitious goal.”
In response to criticism urging the White House to do more in the region, Bush cites the Middle Eastern leaders readiness to pursue peace, the wider and unifying fight against extremism, and the global understanding of the importance of playing a proactive role in the international system as reasons why the time for U.S. intervention is now.
Negotiating teams will host the first session in the region on December 12, 2007. In addition, many of the 44 countries in attendance at the Annapolis based conference will gather again in Paris on December 17 to raise money for “the perpetually cash-strapped Palestinians.” The key with these conferences is to somehow find a way to deal with the most pressing issues facing these countries. The document released after the conference “skirts the fundamental differences that have led to the collapse of all previous peace efforts: the borders of a Palestinian state, the status of disputed Jerusalem and the rights of Palestinian refugees and their descendants.” An encouraging theme that emerged from the meetings was the universal recognition of the importance and necessity of peace. Unfortunately, all of the Palestinian President’s words were immediately rejected by Hamas, and Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum stated that President Abbas is “isolated and represents himself only.”
This early Hamas opposition shows that it will be an arduous road to peace, but the overall sentiment regarding this conference is positive, and the governments of Israel and Palestine seem ready to actively pursue peace. The U.S. plans to play the role of the overseer in this conflict, making sure that both countries stay in line and live up to the promises they will make in upcoming conferences. The U.S. has a lot at stake in this conflict, but President Bush is the one with the most to gain. With a chance to salvage his reputation, President Bush will be willing to do whatever it takes to end the conflict, and maybe we will finally see peace in the region, after six decades of
1 Comment
December 2, 2007 at 1:46 pm
This is Jackson’s post.