Peace In The Middle East Stalled By Israel (But Is It Influenced By The US?)

The last couple of weeks we have seen numerous attempts for peace in the Middle East block by the government of Israel….

Israel snubs EU delegation due to far-Right MP (Reuters 29.10.06)
Israel said on Friday it would not welcome a delegation of European Union parliamentarians planning to visit the country this week if it included a far-right French member.

The Foreign Ministry said Israel objected to the inclusion of Marine Le Pen, daughter of far-right French leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, in the delegation.

A spokesman for the European Parliament said the delegation had postponed the trip. The delegation was scheduled to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories between October 28 and November 4. It was expected to meet Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

"We wanted to receive delegations from the European parliament, but the composition of the delegation made that impossible," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.

Jean-Marie Le Pen said Israel's refusal to meet his daughter ran "contrary to diplomatic traditions" and "basic democracy".

Livni cancels Qatar visit due to Hamas plan to attend summit (Haaretz, 29.10.06)
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has decided not to attend an international conference in Qatar Sunday due to the expected participation of a Hamas delegation in the event.

Livni was invited to represent Israel at the UN-sponsored sixth International Conference on New or Restored Democracies in Doha. She had hoped to take advantage of her first visit to a Gulf state to strengthen Israel's ties with moderate Arab states. It was to be the most high-profile visit by an Israeli official to the Gulf state in 10 years.

Livni had learned previously that delegations from both the Palestinian parliament and from Hamas had been invited to the conference. After the Israeli representation in Qatar was informed that Hamas officials had accepted the invitation, Livni made the decision Saturday not to attend, three days after announcing her plans to travel to the Gulf state.

Israel has low-level relations with Qatar and maintains a trade representation office in Doha. Last month Livni met with Qatar's Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr al-Thani, at the UN General Assembly.

Sunday's conference will include speeches by many foreign ministers from Arab and European countries, as well as working meetings on strengthening democracy.

Israel must resist US pressure, engage in talks with Abbas, Assad (Ynetnews Opinion - 21.10.06)
Former Israeli governments always announced they would not bow to American pressure regarding the Middle East peace process. The assumption was that the American administration would pressure Israel to make far-reaching concessions in order to advance peace.

Today America is applying a different type of pressure aimed at preventing Israel from making concessions that would enable moving the peace wagon forward. But we shouldn't succumb to pressure of this type either.

Regarding the Palestinians, the Americans are insisting on full implementation of the international Quartet's roadmap. Anyone with eyes in their heads realizes that the first phase of the roadmap is not feasible in the atmosphere of the current balance of power between Fatah and Hamas. Mahmoud Abbas and his people are unable to dismantle the Hamas terror infrastructure.

If Israel is truly seeking a peace process it must suffice with a full ceasefire and cessation of Palestinian terror activities. When Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Chairman Mahmoud Abbas meet, in addition to an exchange of prisoners and the release of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, it would suffice for them to announce the renewal of diplomatic negotiations based on existing agreements.

These agreements include the cessation of terror, recognition of Israel and a solution to disputes through negotiations and not violence.

What about Assad?
Regarding Syria, President Bush and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice unequivocally oppose Israeli-Syrian negotiations. We, however, have a strategic interest in dismantling terror in Iran, Syria, Hizbullah and Hamas. This we can do by means of diplomatic negotiations with the Syrians, a proposal occasionally being made by Syrian President Assad.

Clearly, in any preparations for talks it would be incumbent on us to demand that Syria end its support for Hamas and Hizbullah. These are crucial strategic interests for Israel. We have to heal the festering Palestinian wound and reach a settlement of two states living side by side in peace and security.

Moreover, we would do well to engage in negotiations with Syria in order to create leverage for a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East, which would guarantee Israel's security.

It appears that the Bush administration's policies are aimed at empowering the world towards democracy and ridding it of terror so that world countries would become part of the pro-Western spectrum. To this end, pressure is being exerted on various countries and attempts are being made to undermine their legitimacy.

Israel's interests, however, are different, particularly after the second Lebanon war when diplomatic settlements potentially became Israel's defensive shield. Once again we must not succumb to American pressure. In today's reality, we have to demonstrate more flexibility than is expected by our great friends.

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The opinion section of the Ynetnews reports pretty much sums up the situation. Israel needs to make friends and find a compromise with its Arab neighbours. How long can it sustain the support of the United States? How long can it secretly annex Palestinian land in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with settlements?

Just because Israel disagrees with the politics of any delegation that wants to meet them doesn’t mean that they should ignore meeting them.

As Foreign Minister, Livni should be reaching out, making new contacts and strengthening Israel's position in the region. There is no reason to fall into a rut and stagnation on the diplomatic front.

President Asad had called for peace talks with Israel yet this is denied. Why ruin this historic chance?

The European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana said following a meeting with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah last week that “the Palestinian people have suffered and suffered a lot, and it is time that the occupation that started in 1967 is over.”

A few weeks ago U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States would work hard to create a Palestinian state free of the "daily humiliation" of Israeli occupation.

Yet they don’t want to bring Hamas and the Israeli government together. The US have been found out to be indirectly funding parties opposed to the democratically elected government of Hamas. We know historically this is not a good sign. The international boycott of the Hamas-led Palestinian government has yielded no results, and as poverty soars and civil war looms, time and options are running out for Israel, the Palestinians and the international community.

Hamas is ready for peace talks as according to the Jerusalem Post (Oct. 12, 2006) Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal has told London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat that he was willing to accept a Palestinian state within 1967 borders, as well as a hudna [truce] with Israel but not to recognize the "occupation."The Hamas political chief also hinted at the possibility that his organization and the Hamas-led Palestinian government would recognize agreements with Israel the PA and PLO previously signed. Why waste the chance for peace?

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Hamas, should be given more time to accept any peace demands. In an interview published Kuwaiti news agency KUNA, Lavrov said Hamas could "move gradually toward accepting" the international conditions.

After Hamas won parliamentary elections in January, Moscow invited the militant group's leaders to visit over Israeli objections. Lavrov told Olmert in Moscow that keeping up contacts with Hamas could help to moderate them. Olmert told the Russians he disagreed. – Again why waste the chance for peace, why waste the chance for debate and any ongoing negotiations?

As Chirchill said : To jaw-jaw is (always) better than to war-war