Abbas and Olmert commit to Roadmap, Rice vows to return; Hamas accuses US of ignoring Palestinian unity
The tripartite summit between US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem on Monday has not made any change to the political situation. It did not fail but it did not succeed either, as all the crucial points were sidestepped.
The Israeli and Palestinian parties agreed and stated their commitment to U.S. President Bush's two-state vision and to work towards implementing the stalled Roadmap. They also agreed to respect the truce that was reached in November.
The two sides also agreed to meet again, soon, in order to continue discussions on all the suspended issues and Rice vowed to return to the region soon.
In a press conference after the meeting Rice said, "All three of us affirmed our commitment to a two-state solution, agreed that a Palestinian state cannot be born of violence and terror, and reiterated our acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap."
Rice clarified that both Abbas and Olmert discussed the Quartet's position with regard to a new Palestinian national unity government. The Quartet - comprising the U.N., E.U., U.S. and Russia – has stipulated that any new Palestinian government must renounce violence, accept the state of Israel's right to exist and adopt the previously signed peace agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Rice said, "The President [Abbas] and the Prime Minister [Olmert] also discussed issues arising from the agreement for the formation of a Palestinian national unity government, and the position of the Quartet that any Palestinian Authority government must be committed to non-violence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including regarding the Roadmap."
She added: "The President and the Prime Minister agreed that they would meet together again soon. They reiterated their desire for American participation and leadership in facilitating efforts to overcome obstacles, rally regional and international support, and move forward toward peace."
"In that vein, I expect to return to the region soon", she added.
Rice took no questions from the press and neither Abbas nor Olmert gave any statement. The three began their summit shortly after 10:00am on Monday at the David's Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem.
Summit brings Hamas criticism
The Hamas movement has expressed deep disappointment at the results of the tripartite meeting in Jerusalem. A spokesman of Hamas in Gaza, Fawzi Barhoum, depicted the American position as negative, ambiguous and neglecting the will of the Palestinian people. He said that "[the American position] does not reach a level of respect towards the Palestinian decision and will".
Barhoum told Ma'an that Rice ignored any mention of the Mecca deal in the conference, which he described as representing the Palestinian united will.
He also said that Rice exerted pressure on Abbas in the meeting to end his dealings with the Palestinian unity government, which includes Hamas delegates.
Barhoum described Rice's promises as slogans and delusory promises which will be useless and only amount to time wasting, aimed at blocking the national dialogue regarding the new unity government.
The spokesman added that the new American assurances are "for the interests of Israel only". He criticised Rice for "ignoring the Palestinian, Arab, and international legitimacy, which welcomed the Mecca agreement".
He finally asserted that the Palestinians will confront the American pressure as one united front, after having signed the Mecca agreement. He assured that the Palestinians, including his Hamas movement, will stand firmly in support of President Abbas in order to confront any attempts of outside pressure.
P.M. Haniyeh criticizes U.S. stance towards coalition government
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh criticized the United States' negative attitude towards the Palestinian coalition government on Monday. In the 44th session of the Palestinian cabinet, held in Gaza City on Monday, Haniyeh expressed his regret over the continuous American shunning of the Palestinian government.
He said: "That attitude has proved to be a failure. The American administration should realize that the Palestinian people are now united under one political agenda and coalition government." He added that the American rejection is not justified because the political program of the Palestinian coalition adopts diversity, thereby giving space for flexibility. The international community must support that coalition, Haniyeh said.
With regard to the discussions regarding the composition of the coalition, the prime minister said that the dialogue is progressing positively and the Palestinian factions and people support it. Haniyeh added that the meetings which have been held so far were promising, and more meetings are to be held with other factions and dignitaries.
"Atop the pyramid of our priorities will be the lifting of the siege which is suffocating the Palestinian people, imposing security and law, in addition to improving the living standards of the Palestinian people", affirmed the Palestinian prime minister.
He also warned of the consequences of the Israeli excavations near the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem which he said aim to hide the Islamic symbols of the holy city of Jerusalem.
Rice's visit seen as a failure in Fatah eyes too
Fatah, like Hamas, has portrayed the tripartite meeting on Monday as failure due to the Israeli pressure to reject the Mecca agreement.
A Fatah leader, Muhammad Hourani, told Ma'an: "Nothing serious came out of Rice's visit with regards to a shift in the American position, and this doesn't lay any new foundations for resuming the political dialogue and lifting the siege imposed on the Palestinian people." He blamed the confusing American position regarding the Mecca agreement on the absence of political will.
He added, "If the United States doesn't make a political decision, the future doesn’t look good for the Palestinians, especially after Rice has failed to abide by the previous promises she had pledged to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, [particularly] related to the Palestinian opposition to an interim [Palestinian] state instead of a final solution."
For his part, the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Jamil Majdalawi, said that the meeting had no benefit for the Palestinian interests. He depicted the meeting as the 'taken-for-granted' American policy of exerting pressure on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in order to squeeze further concessions out of him.
He explained that the US administration will try to deal with the Palestinian government in a selective way and will exert more pressure on the Palestinians in order to get more concessions.
As for Rice's next visit, Majdalawi said that the US and Israel always have something new to submit, such as a bundle of dollars released from the Palestinian tax money withheld by Israel, or opening the Rafah crossing for a couple of days. He described that policy as being "neither satisfactory nor preventing hunger."
Talal Awkal, a political analyst, told Ma'an, "the trilateral meeting has brought nothing new except American goodwill towards a resumption of negotiations." He described the meeting as a "public relations visit aimed at throwing ash in the [Palestinians'] eyes."
He attributed the absence of press conferences following the summit to three possible reasons: sickness of one of the three leaders; very negative consequences; or a secret agreement on every topic that cannot be announced in public.
With regards to the American delay in announcing their position towards the Mecca agreement, he discarded the possibility of Israeli influence. He said: "The Israeli and the American governments are weak and the latter doesn't have room for any pressures. However, they are waiting until the coalition government is established."
This, he said, gives the Arab states the opportunity to put pressure on the American government to prevent a negative position from the US. Awkal said that he expects that Rice is waiting until the Quartet meeting on Wednesday before the US reveals their position. The Quartet of the UN, EU, US and Russia are meeting in Berlin to discuss the Abbas-Olmert summit and how to deal with the new Palestinian coalition forged in Mecca, Saudi Arabia this month.
Yousef Alhelou is a freelance Palestinian journalist based in Gaza. He can be contacted on ydamadan@hotmail.com
Please also see:
Rice and Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Empty Theatrics?
http://www.accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=1440
UN: Almost half of Palestinians in Gaza, W. Bank are food insecure
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/829307.html
Summary - Peace Now Settlement / Outpost Report 2006
21/02/2007
http://www.peacenow.org.il/site/en/peace.asp?pi=66&docid=2229
Breaking the Law in the West Bank - The Private Land Report - Nov. 2006
New Peace Now Report Reveals:
The Majority of Settlements is Constructed on Private Palestinian Land
http://www.peacenow.org.il/site/en/peace.asp?pi=61&fld=191&docid=2024
The tripartite summit between US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem on Monday has not made any change to the political situation. It did not fail but it did not succeed either, as all the crucial points were sidestepped.
The Israeli and Palestinian parties agreed and stated their commitment to U.S. President Bush's two-state vision and to work towards implementing the stalled Roadmap. They also agreed to respect the truce that was reached in November.
The two sides also agreed to meet again, soon, in order to continue discussions on all the suspended issues and Rice vowed to return to the region soon.
In a press conference after the meeting Rice said, "All three of us affirmed our commitment to a two-state solution, agreed that a Palestinian state cannot be born of violence and terror, and reiterated our acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap."
Rice clarified that both Abbas and Olmert discussed the Quartet's position with regard to a new Palestinian national unity government. The Quartet - comprising the U.N., E.U., U.S. and Russia – has stipulated that any new Palestinian government must renounce violence, accept the state of Israel's right to exist and adopt the previously signed peace agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Rice said, "The President [Abbas] and the Prime Minister [Olmert] also discussed issues arising from the agreement for the formation of a Palestinian national unity government, and the position of the Quartet that any Palestinian Authority government must be committed to non-violence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including regarding the Roadmap."
She added: "The President and the Prime Minister agreed that they would meet together again soon. They reiterated their desire for American participation and leadership in facilitating efforts to overcome obstacles, rally regional and international support, and move forward toward peace."
"In that vein, I expect to return to the region soon", she added.
Rice took no questions from the press and neither Abbas nor Olmert gave any statement. The three began their summit shortly after 10:00am on Monday at the David's Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem.
Summit brings Hamas criticism
The Hamas movement has expressed deep disappointment at the results of the tripartite meeting in Jerusalem. A spokesman of Hamas in Gaza, Fawzi Barhoum, depicted the American position as negative, ambiguous and neglecting the will of the Palestinian people. He said that "[the American position] does not reach a level of respect towards the Palestinian decision and will".
Barhoum told Ma'an that Rice ignored any mention of the Mecca deal in the conference, which he described as representing the Palestinian united will.
He also said that Rice exerted pressure on Abbas in the meeting to end his dealings with the Palestinian unity government, which includes Hamas delegates.
Barhoum described Rice's promises as slogans and delusory promises which will be useless and only amount to time wasting, aimed at blocking the national dialogue regarding the new unity government.
The spokesman added that the new American assurances are "for the interests of Israel only". He criticised Rice for "ignoring the Palestinian, Arab, and international legitimacy, which welcomed the Mecca agreement".
He finally asserted that the Palestinians will confront the American pressure as one united front, after having signed the Mecca agreement. He assured that the Palestinians, including his Hamas movement, will stand firmly in support of President Abbas in order to confront any attempts of outside pressure.
P.M. Haniyeh criticizes U.S. stance towards coalition government
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh criticized the United States' negative attitude towards the Palestinian coalition government on Monday. In the 44th session of the Palestinian cabinet, held in Gaza City on Monday, Haniyeh expressed his regret over the continuous American shunning of the Palestinian government.
He said: "That attitude has proved to be a failure. The American administration should realize that the Palestinian people are now united under one political agenda and coalition government." He added that the American rejection is not justified because the political program of the Palestinian coalition adopts diversity, thereby giving space for flexibility. The international community must support that coalition, Haniyeh said.
With regard to the discussions regarding the composition of the coalition, the prime minister said that the dialogue is progressing positively and the Palestinian factions and people support it. Haniyeh added that the meetings which have been held so far were promising, and more meetings are to be held with other factions and dignitaries.
"Atop the pyramid of our priorities will be the lifting of the siege which is suffocating the Palestinian people, imposing security and law, in addition to improving the living standards of the Palestinian people", affirmed the Palestinian prime minister.
He also warned of the consequences of the Israeli excavations near the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem which he said aim to hide the Islamic symbols of the holy city of Jerusalem.
Rice's visit seen as a failure in Fatah eyes too
Fatah, like Hamas, has portrayed the tripartite meeting on Monday as failure due to the Israeli pressure to reject the Mecca agreement.
A Fatah leader, Muhammad Hourani, told Ma'an: "Nothing serious came out of Rice's visit with regards to a shift in the American position, and this doesn't lay any new foundations for resuming the political dialogue and lifting the siege imposed on the Palestinian people." He blamed the confusing American position regarding the Mecca agreement on the absence of political will.
He added, "If the United States doesn't make a political decision, the future doesn’t look good for the Palestinians, especially after Rice has failed to abide by the previous promises she had pledged to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, [particularly] related to the Palestinian opposition to an interim [Palestinian] state instead of a final solution."
For his part, the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Jamil Majdalawi, said that the meeting had no benefit for the Palestinian interests. He depicted the meeting as the 'taken-for-granted' American policy of exerting pressure on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in order to squeeze further concessions out of him.
He explained that the US administration will try to deal with the Palestinian government in a selective way and will exert more pressure on the Palestinians in order to get more concessions.
As for Rice's next visit, Majdalawi said that the US and Israel always have something new to submit, such as a bundle of dollars released from the Palestinian tax money withheld by Israel, or opening the Rafah crossing for a couple of days. He described that policy as being "neither satisfactory nor preventing hunger."
Talal Awkal, a political analyst, told Ma'an, "the trilateral meeting has brought nothing new except American goodwill towards a resumption of negotiations." He described the meeting as a "public relations visit aimed at throwing ash in the [Palestinians'] eyes."
He attributed the absence of press conferences following the summit to three possible reasons: sickness of one of the three leaders; very negative consequences; or a secret agreement on every topic that cannot be announced in public.
With regards to the American delay in announcing their position towards the Mecca agreement, he discarded the possibility of Israeli influence. He said: "The Israeli and the American governments are weak and the latter doesn't have room for any pressures. However, they are waiting until the coalition government is established."
This, he said, gives the Arab states the opportunity to put pressure on the American government to prevent a negative position from the US. Awkal said that he expects that Rice is waiting until the Quartet meeting on Wednesday before the US reveals their position. The Quartet of the UN, EU, US and Russia are meeting in Berlin to discuss the Abbas-Olmert summit and how to deal with the new Palestinian coalition forged in Mecca, Saudi Arabia this month.
Yousef Alhelou is a freelance Palestinian journalist based in Gaza. He can be contacted on ydamadan@hotmail.com
Please also see:
Rice and Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Empty Theatrics?
http://www.accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=1440
UN: Almost half of Palestinians in Gaza, W. Bank are food insecure
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/829307.html
Summary - Peace Now Settlement / Outpost Report 2006
21/02/2007
http://www.peacenow.org.il/site/en/peace.asp?pi=66&docid=2229
Breaking the Law in the West Bank - The Private Land Report - Nov. 2006
New Peace Now Report Reveals:
The Majority of Settlements is Constructed on Private Palestinian Land
http://www.peacenow.org.il/site/en/peace.asp?pi=61&fld=191&docid=2024