Palestinians Pull Request For UN Vote Against President Trump's Peace Plan

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas shows maps of historical Palestine during a February 2020 Arab League meeting on President Donald Trump's proposed Middle East plan

Axios: Palestinians struggle to rally opposition to Trump plan at UN Security Council

A UN Security Council vote on a Palestinian draft resolution rejecting President Trump's Middle East peace plan has been postponed. It's unclear if and when it will take place.

Why it matters: This is a significant setback for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is expected to give a speech opposing the plan at a special meeting of the Security Council tomorrow.

* The Palestinians wanted tomorrow's meeting to end with a vote. They hoped the vote would isolate the U.S. and force it to use its veto power.
* The postponement follows efforts from Jared Kushner and other administration officials over the last few days to dilute the text of the resolution and prevent a vote.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This is a significant setback for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

More News On The Palestinians Pulling Their Request For UN Vote Against President Trump's Peace Plan

Lacking support, Palestinians pull request for UN vote against Trump plan -- AFP
Palestinian leader to address UN on Trump plan, but no vote -- AP
Palestinians delay vote at UNSC against Trump’s peace deal -- Jerusalem Post
Fearing instability and violence, Arabs ask Abbas to ‘lower the volume’ -- Jerusalem Post

Will President Trump's Peace Plan Polarize The Middle East?

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after Trump's address at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem May 23, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo

Reuters: Trump's peace plan may polarize the Middle East it seeks to calm

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - As U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to host Israeli leaders in Washington to reveal details of his long-delayed Middle East peace plan, Palestinians warned on Friday that no deal could work without them on board.

Trump invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival centrist former general Benny Gantz to the White House next week, saying he would unveil the plan before his Tuesday meeting with Netanyahu.

But Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said there had been no communication with the Trump administration, and that no peace deal could be implemented without “the approval of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian leadership”.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Middle East has been polarized for untold generations. President Trump's peace plan is not going to change that.

Israeli Leaders Will Travel To Washington Next Week To Discuss President Trump's Peace Plan

The United States looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister @Netanyahu & Blue & White Chairman @Gantzbe to the @WhiteHouse next week. Reports about details and timing of our closely-held peace plan are purely speculative.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2020

The Guardian: Donald Trump invites Israeli leaders to Washington to hear peace plan details

* ‘Ultimate deal’ reported to be extremely favourable to Israel
* Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader to visit next week

Donald Trump has invited Israel’s prime minister and leader of the opposition to Washington for talks on the “prospects of peace”, signalling that the White House was preparing to share details of its long-awaited “ultimate deal” for Israelis and Palestinians.

Mike Pence, the US vice-president who is visiting Jerusalem for a Holocaust remembrance forum, said after a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu that he had asked the leader to fly to Washington next week.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The details are already being leaked out .... Details of the peace plan are already revealed (YNet News). Predictions on how the Palestinians will react are already being made .... Trump to release ‘great’ Israel peace plan ahead of Netanyahu visit, warns that Palestinians ‘may react negatively’ (RT).

More News On Israeli Leaders Travelling To Washington Next Week To Discuss President Trump's Peace Plan

Trump: Mideast peace plan likely rolled out in days -- AP
Netanyahu, Gantz to travel to Washington next week to discuss peace plan -- Jerusalem Post
Israel's Prime Minister and opposition leader will visit White House to discuss 'prospect of peace' next week -- CNN
Trump says he’ll roll out Middle East peace plan ahead of meeting with Israeli leaders -- Politico
'It's a great plan': Trump to release Middle East peace proposal before meeting with Israeli leaders -- USA Today
Trump is preparing to release his Middle East peace plan, will brief Israel’s Netanyahu in Washington, Pence says -- The Washington Post
Trump says he expects to release Middle East peace plan by Tuesday -- The Hill
Netanyahu, Gantz invited to US to talk 'prospect of peace': Pence -- Al Jazeera

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Admits That The Current White House Middle East Peace Plan May Not Work

Newsweek: Mike Pompeo Says Trump's Middle East Peace Plan May Not 'Gain Traction,' May Be Seen As 'Unexecutable'

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has admitted that President Donald Trump's long-awaited Middle East peace plan may prove to be a diplomatic flop.

The international community is eagerly-awaiting details of the plan, which has been devised by the president's senior aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner and former lawyer Jason Greenblatt.

The White House has been tight-lipped about the nature or release date of the plan, which the Trump administration has touted as a way to break generations of stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: President Trump agrees with US Secretary of State Pompeo's assessment on the current peace plan .... Trump Says Pompeo 'May Be Right' to Doubt Middle East Peace Plan's Chances for Success (Haaretz). More here .... Trump tempers optimism on Middle East peace plan (Politico).

More News On U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Admitting That The Current White House Middle East Peace Plan May Not Work

Exclusive: Pompeo delivers unfiltered view of Trump’s Middle East peace plan in off-the-record meeting -- The Washington Post
Pompeo admits to Jewish leaders that Trump's plan for Middle East peace 'may be rejected' and could be 'unexecutable' in blow to Jared's credibility abroad -- Daily Mail
Pompeo airs frank Mideast peace plan views in leak -- AFP
Trump's secretary of state admits president's Middle East peace plan is unworkable -- The Independent
In recording, skeptical Pompeo says Trump peace plan could be ‘unexecutable’ -- Times of Israel
Pompeo questions reception of US plan 'loved only by Israelis' -- Al Jazeera
Leaked Pompeo tape adds to growing doubts over Trump’s ‘deal of century’ for Middle East -- RT

Israel Rejects French Attempts To Restart Palestinian Peace Talks

Reuters: Israel says 'no' to Middle East peace conference in Paris

Israel on Monday formally rejected France's invitation to take part in a Middle East peace conference in Paris later this year, saying it was a distraction from the goal of direct negotiations with the Palestinians.

At a meeting in Jerusalem with Israel's acting national security adviser and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's diplomatic adviser, French envoy Pierre Vimont was informed that Israel wanted nothing to do with the effort to revive talks that last broke down in 2014.

"(They) told the French envoy in a clear and unequivocal manner that Israel's position to promote the peace process and reach an agreement will only come through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

Read more ....

More News On Israel Declining An Invitation To Attend France's Middle East Peace Conference

Israel to Miss French Peace Conference, Wants Direct Talks -- AP
Israel tells France it will not join talks aimed at reviving peace process -- The Guardian
Israel turns down invitation to Middle East peace conference in Paris -- The Independent
Israel rejects French peace initiative, insisting on direct talks with Palestinians -- DW
Israel Tells France: We Oppose Your Peace Initiative, Won't Attend International Conference in Paris -- Haaretz

President Obama Tries To Lay The Groundwork For A Future Middle East Peace Agreement

President Obama with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel last year. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times

New York Times: Obama Seeks to Pave Way to Mideast Deal After He Leaves Office

WASHINGTON — President Obama, resigned to his failure to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, is looking past his time in office and weighing a plan that would preserve at least the principle of a two-state solution for his successor to pursue.

The White House is debating whether the president should lay down the outlines of an agreement, several officials said, perhaps through a resolution at the United Nations Security Council or in a presidential speech. The objective would not be to revive direct negotiations — almost nobody believes that is likely now — but to enshrine the proposals Secretary of State John Kerry made during his last failed effort at peacemaking in 2014.

A Security Council resolution, officials said, would give enduring legitimacy to the compromises that Mr. Kerry hammered out in private between the two sides, and build broad international support for a series of proposed solutions that could provide the framework for a future Israeli-Palestinian agreement.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This is an easy prediction .... the next President will be pursuing his (or her) own agenda when it comes to the Israelis and Palestinians. As for President Obama's current efforts .... no one (Republican, Democrat, Israeli, or Palestinian) is interested.

Middle East Peace Process Unraveling?

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Ambassador to France's residence in Paris, March 30, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Jacquelyn Martin/Pool

John Kerry Returns To Middle East With Peace Talks Close To Crisis -- The Guardian

US trying to convince Palestinians to prolong talks beyond deadline and Israel to release fourth tranche of prisoners

The US secretary of state, John Kerry, was flying back to the Middle East for the second time in a week on Monday as the latest round of peace negotiations with Israeli and Palestinian leaders appeared to have reached a make-or-break point.

Amid a flurry of intense diplomatic contacts in Jerusalem, state department officials announced that Kerry was flying to Tel Aviv from Paris and would arrive in the region on Monday evening.

According to the officials, Kerry spoke with leaders from both sides as well as with the White House before deciding to travel. "After consulting with his team, secretary Kerry decided it would be productive to return to the region," said the state department spokesperson Jen Psaki.

Read more ....

More News On U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Traveling To The Middle East To Save The Peace Talks

Kerry in critical bid for Middle East peace -- Al Jazeera
Kerry to Visit Israel for Middle East Talks -- New York Times
Kerry returns to Mideast as peace talks falter -- Al Jazeera
Kerry returns to Israel after Paris talks -- Global Post/AFP
Kerry Heads to Israel in Peace Talk Push -- Voice of America
Kerry heads to Israel for Mideast peace talks -- CNN
Kerry Heads to Mideast as Peace Talks Founder Over Prisoners -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Kerry arrives in Mideast in bid to seal Israel-Palestinian talks -- Haaretz
Palestinians reject proposal to extend talks -- Al Bawaba
Palestinian official: If Israel won't free prisoners, PA won't extend peace talks -- Jerusalem Post
Kerry to Mideast at critical point in peace talks -- The State/AP

My Comment: Everyone in the Middle East knows what U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is doing .... he is pushing the process but avoiding the hard core compromises and issues that need to be covered and addressed. Unfortunately .... there always comes a day when everyone must say yes or no for such talks to continue .... and that day is rapidly approaching.

Update: U.S. could free Israeli spy in deal to save peace talks: source close to talks -- Reuters

Is John Kerry Offering U.S. Troops To Secure The Border Of A Future Palestinian State?

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) speaks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman June 28, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Jacquelyn Martin/Pool

Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks: Is Kerry Offering Up US Troops? -- Anna Mulrine, Christian Science Monitor

Unconfirmed news reports out of Israel signal that an offer of US troops to secure the borders of a new Palestinian state is in the mix in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. US defense analysts urge caution.

Secretary of State John Kerry is proposing to offer up US troops to help secure the borders of the new state of Palestine, according to some unconfirmed news reports coming out of Israel.

How plausible is the possibility? And would it be a good idea, or, as some military analysts argue, would the White House would be “nuts” to consider it?

The US troops would be tasked with helping to prevent anti-Israel forces from coming out of Jordan and reaching Israel, according to Debkafile, an Israeli intelligence and security news service.

Read more ....

My Comment: If these reports are true (which I doubt) .... this is a very bad idea.

Escalating Violence In The West Bank Has Halted The Middle East Peace Talks

Palestinian Negotiators Say They Canceled Meet With Israelis After Deadly Clashes -- Haaretz

Palestinian FM says 'no doubt' that deadly Qalandiyah incident will have an effect on peace talks with Israel.

The Palestinian envoys to the peace talks canceled a meeting with their Israeli counterparts on Monday, according to a senior Palestinian official. The development comes in the wake of the deaths of three Palestinians from Israeli gunfire during clashes at the Qalandiyah refugee camp earlier in the day.

A senior Palestinian official told Haaretz that the Palestinians decided against attending the meeting to protest the violence in Qalandiyah. The Palestinians will mull how to proceed with regard to the future of the talks, he said.

No confirmation of the report could be obtained from Israeli officials.

Read more ....

More News On Reports That The Middle East Peace Talks Between Israel And The Palestinians Have Been Called Off

Palestinians Cancel Meetings With Israel After West Bank Deaths -- Bloomberg Businessweek
West Bank violence halts Middle East peace talks -- The Telegraph
Palestinians cancel peace talks round after clash -- Financial Times
Palestinians call off peace talks with Israel after clash -- Times of India/AP
Middle East peace talks called off over Palestinian deaths in West Bank -- Sydney Morning Herald
Palestinians cancel peace-talk meeting after Israelis kill 3 in camp -- UPI
Palestinians call off talks after deadly clashes in the West Bank -- Euronews
Israeli troops kill three Palestinians but peace talks continue -- Reuters
U.S. State Department denies Israeli-Palestinian peace talks canceled -- Reuters
Deadly raid could derail Israeli-Palestinian talks -- L.A. Times

Why John Kerry's Peace Efforts Are Doomed To Fail

 

Kerry's Mideast Fool's Errand Ignores Reality -- Jeffrey Goldberg, Bloomberg 

Veteran Middle East peace processors are arguing that naysayers are in bad odor this week, now that John Kerry, the U.S. secretary of state, has seemingly defied the skeptics. Kerry has actually achieved what so many American officials have achieved before -- which is to say, getting the Israelis and Palestinians to agree, provisionally, to sit down and yell at each other before retreating to their respective corners, thus providing the next secretary of state a chance to score yet another "Groundhog Day" Middle East breakthrough. I'm not discounting Kerry's achievement, by the way (though I wish he'd spend more time focused on the Syrian civil war and the tragic, slow-motion collapse of Egypt). It isn't easy to bring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas together to talk about anything, and Kerry's indefatigability and sincerity are impressive. Read more .... My Comment: I could not have said it any better, but not everyone is sharing my opinion.

President Obama's Trip To The Middle East -- News Roundup March 21, 2013

US President Barack Obama and his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, at the Muqata presidential compound in the Ramallah, West Bank. Photograph: Larry Downing/Reuters

Obama Says Palestinians "Deserve" A State But Must Negotiate With Israel To Get It -- USA Today

RAMALLAH, West Bank – President Obama said Palestinians "deserve an end to occupation" and an "independent state of their own," during a visit Thursday to a territory that Palestinians want as a nation.

Following a two-hour visit with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Obama's asserted that the borders for a Palestinian the state can only be settled through negotiations with Israel and that protect the national security of the Jewish state.

Read more ....

More News On President Obama's Trip To The Middle East

Obama condemns new Israeli settlements - live updates -- The Guardian
Gaza militants fire rockets as Obama meets Abbas in Ramallah -- The Telegraph
Rockets hit Sderot as Obama visits Israel -- YNet News
Obama pushes for Mideast peace talks to resume -- CBS/AP
Obama says US backs independent Palestinian state -- BBC
Obama urges Palestinians to return to peace talks -- Reuters
Meeting Abbas, Obama Says a 2-State Deal Is ‘Still Possible’ -- New York Times
Obama urges Palestinians to resume peace talks with Israel despite settlement activity -- Washington Post
Obama Urges Israel, Palestinians to Talk, Set Aside Disputes -- Voice of America
Obama backs talks for Middle East peace -- Al Jazeera
Obama Meets Abbas in West Bank -- Wall Street Journal
Obama, Abbas Discuss Obstacles To Middle East Peace -- Radio Free Europe
'Not welcome': Disappointment greets Obama on West Bank visit -- NBC
Palestinians protest Obama visit: We want RPGs, not CIA collaboration -- Haaretz
Israel's Peres believes Obama will order attack on Iran if necessary -- FOX News
Obama's Beast can beat bugs but it's not fuel-proof -- The Australian

Middle East Peace Process Heading For A Traiwreck At The UN This September: George Mitchell

George Mitchell former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. Photo from The Charlie Rose Show

'Obama Trying To Head Off Trainwreck At UN In September' -- Haaretz

Outgoing U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell tells Charlie Rose that the UN recognizing a Palestinian state would be 'very harmful for Israel, for the U.S., and not good for the peace process.'

Outgoing U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell told Charlie Rose in a PBS interview on Thursday that U.S. President Barack Obama is trying to head off a "train wreck" at the United Nations this September, when the Palestinians plan on bringing the issue of an independent state to the General Assembly.

Read more ....

My Comment: The Palestinian leadership have a long history of pandering to their constituent's hatred and desire for the destruction of Israel .... and the creation of their own independent Palestinian state. This push for UN recognition of a Palestinian state is what the Palestinian people want .... a desire that the Palestinian leadership will pursue regardless of the consequences to the peace process in the region.

Outgoing U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell's interview with Charlie Rose can be found here.

Release Of The Palestinian Papers Provokes A Wide Range Of Opinions

Palestinians Reject 'Lies And Half Truths' That It Offered Up Its Settlements During Peace Talks With Israel -- The Daily Mail

* TV channel Al-Jazeera set to release more of 16,076 leaked documents
* Palestinian Authority negotiator: 'Our credibility on the ground has never been so low. Now it's about survival. There is Hamas and the bigger picture in the region'
* Hamas: Documents reveal 'the ugly face of the [Palestinian] Authority, and the level of its co-operation with the occupation'

Palestinian negotiators have denied as 'lies and half truths' reports that they were prepared to offer a generous compromise to Israel during peace talks in 2008.

The original claims were made in a special report by the TV channel Al-Jazeera on Sunday, which quoting from documents it said came from the talks on the issues of Jerusalem and refugees - two of the toughest issues facing both sides.

Read more ....

More News On The Palestinian Papers

The Palestinian Papers -- Al Jazeera (Full Coverage)
The Palestinian Papers -- The Guardian (Full Coverage)

Leaks show Palestinians giving much ground to Israel -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Secret files expose Palestinian 'offers' to Israel -- Yahoo News/AFP
Palestinians protest at Al-Jazeera TV office -- Yahoo News/AP
Middle East peace talks leaks: the main points -- The Telegraph
Excerpts: Leaked Palestinian 'proposals' -- BBC
Palestinians question 'offers' leaked by al-Jazeera -- BBC
Palestinians deny leaked 'Jerusalem offer' -- The Independent
Report: Palestinians offered to give up most of East Jerusalem -- CNN
Middle East peace talks leaks: Palestinians reject leaks as 'a pack of lies' -- The Telegraph
Palestinians deny leaked 'Jerusalem offer' -- The Independent/AP
Leaked Docs Show Palestinian Jerusalem Offer -- CBS News
Al Jazeera: Palestinians were willing to give in on key issues -- McClatchy News
Al-Jazeera releases "Palestine Papers" -- Xinhuanet
Word of Palestinian Concession in 2008 Roils Mideast Debate -- New York Times
Abbas furious over explosive Jerusalem leaks -- ABC News (Australia)
Jerusalem's troubled geography -- BBC
'Leaked documents confuse each side's stance' -- Jerusalem Post

Palestinians shown as powerless and pleading for a break -- Sudney Morning Herald
Analysis: Abbas seen weathering storm over Al Jazeera leaks -- Reuters
Middle East peace talks leaks: Mahmoud Abbas facing testing time -- The Telegraph
Palestine papers: Will a big scoop change business as usual? A roundup of opinion so far. -- Christian Science Monitor

Massive Leak Of Confidential Israeli - Palestinian Diplomatic Negotiations Over The Past Two Decades Being Reported By Al Jazeera

Introducing The Palestine Papers -- Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera has obtained more than 1,600 internal documents from a decade of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Over the last several months, Al Jazeera has been given unhindered access to the largest-ever leak of confidential documents related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There are nearly 1,700 files, thousands of pages of diplomatic correspondence detailing the inner workings of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. These documents – memos, e-mails, maps, minutes from private meetings, accounts of high level exchanges, strategy papers and even power point presentations – date from 1999 to 2010.

Read more ....

More News On The Leak Of Israeli - Palestinian Peace Negotiations For The Past Decade

The Palestinian Papers -- Al Jazeera (Full Coverage)
The Palestinian Papers -- The Guardian (Full Coverage)

Two decades of secret Israeli-Palestinian accords leaked to media worldwide -- Al Haaretz
Thousands of confidential Palestinian documents leaked -- Jerusalem Post
Leaked documents show Palestinian Jerusalem offer -- AP
Palestinians offered Jerusalem concessions: leaks -- Reuters
PA: Al-Jazeera has declared war on Palestinians -- Jerusalem Post
"Shocking revelations" on Jerusalem -- Al Jazeera
FAQ: The Palestine Papers -- Al Jazeera
The story behind the Palestine papers -- The Guardian
Palestine papers: Now we know. Israel had a peace partner -- Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian

My Comment: To say that this leak of diplomatic documents is explosive .... now that is an understatement. The documents are in English (which is quite incredible when the two main parties speak Arabic and Hebrew), and for the past few hours I have been browsing these documents. I can spend the next few days just dedicated to this news story .... the information that is being leaked is truly astounding. Both Al Jazeera and The Guardian have made it easy to browse the main points of this story, I would recommend going there as a start to appreciate what has been leaked to the world's media.

On a personal note .... I will never look at the Middle East peace process in the matter that I have in the past .... my perceptions have now changed completely.

Middle East Peace Process Going Nowhere

Palestinian laborers work on a construction site in a Jewish settlement near Jerusalem known to Israelis as Har Homa and to Palestinians as Jabal Abu Ghneim on Dec. 14. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed on Monday a US decision to drop efforts to achieve a building freeze in Jewish settlements and focus on resolving core issues of the Middle East conflict. Ammar Awad/Reuters

With Mideast Peace Talks Adrift, The US Searches For Plan B -- Christian Science Monitor

With the Obama administration's big idea to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks – a settlement freeze – abandoned, the region is skeptical about American leadership.

Soon after the US announced last week it would abandon an 18-month demand for an Israeli settlement freeze to advance peace talks with the Palestinians, state department spokesperson PJ Crowley insisted that the US would not start over with a blank slate.

Read more ....

More News On The Israeli -- Palestinian Peace Process

Israel PM convenes inner forum as talks hit impasse -- AFP

Arabs want 'serious offer' on Israel peace, UN resolution -- AFP
No Israel talks 'in any format,' Palestinians insist -- AFP
Arabs rule out new peace talks -- Al Jazeera
Arabs reject Middle East peace talks without US plan -- BBC
Arab League Still Supports U.S. Role in Mideast Talks: U.S. -- Bloomberg

Palestinians ask Europe to recognize a state -- AP
Europe asked to ask to recognise Palestinian state -- Daily Times
Palestinians seek recognition of state from European countries -- CNN
PLO 'disappointed' over U.S. resolution opposing unilateral declaration of Palestinian state -- Haaretz

Gaza Mends, but Israelis See Signs of Trouble -- New York Times
U.S. can't make leaders want peace -- Aaron David Miller, Politico
Netanyahu not to blame for failed peace talks -- Baltimore Sun
US House passes anti-Palestine bill -- MJ Rosenberg, Al Jazeera
The Return of "Plan B" and the Death of the Peace Process -- Osamah Khalil, Huffington Post
Q&A - After Mitchell trip, what next for peace process? -- Reuters

My Comment: The Middle East peace process is not adrift .... it is dead. With no leadership coming from the White House, and all the principle players locked in "non-negotiable conditions" .... this process is going nowhere.

Israel Passes Referendum Law If 'Land For Peace' Is On The Negotiating Table

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a session of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem November 22, 2010. Credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Israel Parliament Passes Referendum Law For Relinquishing Territory -- The Telegraph

Israel's parliament passed a new law on Monday night requiring a referendum to ratify any peace agreement involving Israel relinquishing territory, effectively tying the government's hands in peace negotiations.

With negotiations deadlocked with both the Palestinian authority and Syria, the new law places an additional obstacle in the way of Middle East peace efforts.

The Knesset parliament voted 65-33 in favour of the referendum bill.

Under the law, any peace agreement with Syria which includes returning the occupied Golan Heights or a deal with the Palestinians, which includes East Jerusalem, also captured during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, will be put to a public vote.

Read more ....

More News On Israel's New Referendum Bill

Israeli parliament approves referendum-for-peace law -- Reuters
Israel passes bill on withdrawal from land -- BBC
Israel Enacts Bill to Force Referendum on a Treaty -- New York Times
Israel Law Boosts Requirement for Approval of Pullout -- Bloomberg
Israeli parliament passes law requiring referendum on territorial concessions -- Xinhuanet
Knesset passes bill conditioning land concessions with popular referendums -- Haaretz

Is President Obama The Problem InThe Middle East Peace Process?

President Barack Obama along with (from left to right) Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Israeli P.M. Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House: Jason Reed/Reuters

View From Middle East: President Obama Is A Problem -- Politico

JERUSALEM — Vowing to change a region that has resisted the best efforts of presidents and prime ministers past, Barack Obama dove head first into the Middle East peace process on his second day in office.

He was supposed to be different. His personal identity, his momentum, his charisma and his promise of a fresh start would fundamentally alter America’s relations with the Muslim world and settle one of its bitterest grievances.

Two years later, he has managed to forge surprising unanimity on at least one topic: Barack Obama. A visit here finds both Israelis and Palestinians blame him for the current stalemate — just as they blame one another.

Read more ....

My Comment: A surprising commentary and report from the Politico, a news organization that is usually sympathetic to the President. My own analysis is different .... the only criticism that I can give the president is that he decided to get involved in the peace process at a time when the principle players had (and still have) no interest in peace. He should have realized that may be it was hopeless .... then again .... he may have realized that anyway, and felt that he still had to do something to stop both sides from continuing this cycle of violence.

The Politico piece is still a good read .... read it all.

Israeli - Palestinian Peace Talks Under Strain (Again)

Photo: West Bank settlements. Click on Image to Enlarge.

Palestinian Government Wants East Jerusalem Included In Israeli Settlement Freeze -- Xinhuanet

RAMALLAH, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian government Monday called for including East Jerusalem into any deal halting Israeli settlement building.

"Stopping all settlement activities completely and comprehensively in the occupied Palestinian land, with Jerusalem city and its surroundings at first, is the basis of a serious peace process," the government said in a written statement.

Read more ....

More News On Israeli - Palestinian Peace Talks

Israeli bill seen as threat to future peace deals -- AP
Opposition Mounts to US Plan for Israeli Settlement Freeze -- Voice of America
Israel Mulls F-35s For Peace-Talks Offer -- Aviation Week
Palestinian Leader Insists on Halt to Settlements -- New York Times
Abbas eyes UN appeal for independent state as peace talks stall -- Haaretz
Abbas rules out talks without full settlement freeze -- BBC
The (missing) American Letter -- Al Jazeera
The endgame for the peace process -- Robert Grenier, Al Jazeera

My Comment: Even with a gift of billions on the table for just a 90 day freeze .... this is not enough for the Israeli Government. This illustrates what is the main problem in the Middle East .... it is not about more guns and money, diplomatic assurances, or enhanced security .... it is all about land. Both sides regard land in the region as priceless, and both want it for themselves.

U.S. - Israeli Deal For A 90 Day Freeze Is Still Being "Haggled Over"

President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Official White House photo by Pete Souza

US Official: Freeze Proposal Details Still Being 'Haggled Over' -- Ynet News

Most unresolved issues in US freeze proposal are routine, Washington source says. State officials in Jerusalem say discussions still being held on security package, add: 'There is some difficulty in way in which fighter jets will be supplied'.

A senior official with the Obama administration said Thursday the United States and Israel were still "haggling" over details of the written assurances. The official said most of the unresolved issues were relatively routine but added that it was unlikely that the letter would be finished Thursday.

He noted it was not clear when the letter might be completed.

Read more ....

More News On U.S. - Israeli Attempts To Agree To A 90 Day Construction Freeze

Israelis insist they have US backing to build in East Jerusalem -- The Guardian
Haggling With Obama -- SKY News
Netanyahu in 'intensive contacts' with US on peace -- AFP
Netanyahu confident U.S. settlement offer will pass -- Toronto Star
Cabinet stalls on settlement freeze as Israel and U.S. clash over terms -- Haaretz

My Comment: Giving Israel billions of dollars (money that the U.S. does not have) to not construct a few hundred homes in the West Bank for the next 90 days (and ignoring Jerusalem) .... does this make sense? And does it make sense that the Israelis are "haggling"!?!?!?!

Am I missing something here?

Israel Is Told That It 'Risks Chaos Without Peace'

(Click Image to Enlarge)

New Wave Of Violence Threatens Peace, Israeli Official Warns -- The Guardian

Senior intelligence official warns of risk to peace process from Hamas attacks and 'big danger' posed by Jewish settlers.

A senior Israeli intelligence official has warned of the dangers of renewed attacks on Israel by Hamas militants based in the West Bank and a wave of violence from Jewish extremists, both of whom were trying to derail peace negotiations.

Security services were concerned about violence from hardline settlers in the West Bank against Palestinians and Israeli security forces, the source said. "This is a big danger. So far it is not terror attacks but we know that it can come very fast to terror attacks."

Read more ....

More News On U.S. Attempts To Get The Peace Process Forward

Israel 'risks chaos without peace', official warns -- BBC

Israeli government seen accepting new settlement freeze -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Netanyahu Backs U.S. Proposal for Freeze -- Wall Street Journal
Netanyahu Agrees to Push for Freeze in Settlements -- New York Times
Netanyahu presents incentives for extending building freeze -- Washington Post
Netanyahu lobbies his Cabinet on U.S. peace talk incentives -- L.A. Times
Analysis: Freeze expected to pass cabinet by slim margin -- Jerusalem Post
Benjamin Netanyahu raises hopes for peace process breakthrough -- The Telegraph
Obama has made an offer Netanyahu cannot refuse -- Haaretz

Second squadron of F-35s is ‘an offer hard to refuse’ -- Jerusalem Post
U.S.A. offers Israel fighters in exchange for 90-day settlement freeze -- RIA Novosti
'US F-35 package more important than Likud infighting' -- Jerusalem Post
Israel offered 20 Stealth fighters as U.S. attempts to force breakthrough in peace talks with Palestinians -- Daily Mail

Palestinians 'waiting for US guarantees' -- Ynet News
Arab League 'likely to reject 90-day settlement freeze plan' -- Haaretz
Palestinians slam U.S. incentives to Israel for freezing settlement -- Xinhuanet
PA: Freeze must include Jerusalem -- Haaretz

A 90-Day Bet on Mideast Talks -- New York Times
Is America bribing Bibi or blackmailing him? -- Economist
What exactly does Obama expect from Netanyahu? -- Haaretz