Bush wants Mideast peace conference (Condi to lead Peace conf.)

[rodeodance]

Source: ap



Bush wants Mideast peace conference

By TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer 21 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - President Bush will call for an international conference this fall to include Israel, the Palestinian authority and some of their Arab neighbors to help restart Mideast peace talks and will pledge increased aid to the Palestinian government of President Mahmoud Abbas, The Associated Press has learned.


Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would lead the peace conference, which would include representatives of Israel and "neighbors in the region," said a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Bush planned to speak Monday afternoon at the White House about the peace conference and U.S. financial and diplomatic support for Abbas, who controls just the West Bank after the Islamic militant group Hamas gained authority over Gaza in June.

Bush will portray this as "a moment of choice" between two paths for the Palestinian people — one represented by the moderate government led by Abbas and his Fatah faction and that of Hamas.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070716/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_mideast;_ylt=AiYymvV5heMyQBQSwv8x8vCs0NUE

---

His legacy is so important to him.

[rodeodance]

1. "They've had a hands-off attitude for many, many years now.

......National security adviser Stephen Hadley said there is now an opportunity "to show the Palestinian people a choice between the kind of violence and chaos under Hamas in Gaza and the prospect, under President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad, for an effective, democratic Palestinian state that can be on the way toward what we all want, which is a two-state solution — a Palestinian homeland for the Palestinian people."

Five years ago, Bush called for a separate, independent Palestine alongside Israel. He was the first U.S. president to back that notion so fully and publicly. But his administration has taken heavy criticism for letting the peace process drift while conditions worsened for the impoverished Palestinians.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said Sunday the administration has not done enough.

"They've had a hands-off attitude for many, many years now. And at a critical juncture, when Abbas was just taking over, when there was an opportunity to really support him, the administration was not doing that," Reed said on CNN's "Late Edition."

___

Associated Press Writer Deb Riechmann contributed to this story.

[coalition_unwilling]

11. "violence and chaos under Hamas in Gaza" - what dope is Hadley

smoking? The Palestinians voted for Hamas in an overwhelming landslide in free and fair elections.

[oberliner]

13. Did you miss what happened in Gaza recently?

Are you aware of what took place during the second week of June?

Would you not characterize it as "violence and chaos"?

Some info from the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6754387.stm

Q&A: Chaos in Gaza

The Gaza Strip has witnessed some of the most brutal fighting between armed Palestinian factions. The BBC's Martin Asser explains what has led to this situation and what the consequences might be.

[coalition_unwilling]

14. No, I would characterize it as Hamas' rightful assumption of

authority. If elections were held for President today in the Occupied Territories, it is estimated that Abbas (aka Abu Mazen), the candidate of Fatah, would garner no more than 13-15% of the popular vote. Haniya (sp?), the candidate of Hamas, would easily garner a majority of the popular vote.

[oberliner]

15. Polls that I've seen show different results

If new presidential elections are held today and the only two candidates were Mahmud Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh, 40% would not participate in these elections. Among those who would participate, 49% would vote for Abbas and 42% for Haniyeh. If the competition was between Marwan Barghouti and Ismail Haniyeh, non participation would drop to 31%. Among those who would participate, 59% would vote for Marwan Barghouti and 35% for Haniyeh. In the Gaza Strip, Barghouti wins against Haniyeh by 55% to 41%.

http://www.pcpsr.org/survey/polls/2007/p24epressrelease.html

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip: The violent takeover of the Gaza Strip has cost the Islamic Hamas some support there and bolstered its rival, Fatah, according to a poll released Sunday.

Hamas swept through Gaza last month, vanquishing numerically superior forces aligned with Fatah of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who responded by dismissing the Hamas-led government and installing a new one with his backers.

The poll of Gaza residents shows a backlash. Hamas got only 23 percent support, down from 29 percent in the previous survey last month, while Fatah climbed from 31 percent to 43 percent.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/15/africa/ME-GEN-Palestinians-Poll.php

[coalition_unwilling]

16. My information comes from Ian Masters' "Background Briefing"

broadcast on Sunday, July 15 on 90.7 FM KPFK in Los Angeles, California.

While I'm suspicious of the figures showing Abbas winning 49% to Haniyeh's 42%, there is no doubt that Barghouti (currently imprisioned in Israel and serving 5 consecutive life sentences) is immensely popular. The chances that Barghouti will be released by the Olmert administration are next to nil, so that poses something of an inherency barrier to his assuming power as a Chief Executive of the PA any time soon.

[oberliner]

18. I think the info from "Background Briefing" may have come from an internet poll

They may have gotten their info from this source:

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/852/fr1.htm

But it turned out that source was using on online poll

Here's the tranlsated page where the poll can be found:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ar&u=http://www.alquds.com/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dal-quds%2B%26hl%3Den

Also, I think there is a better change of Barghouti being released than "next to nil". Note this article from last week:

Sneh secretly meets with Barghouti

<snip>

The two met for about two hours and discussed issues relating to the situation in the Palestinian Authority. Defense Minister Ehud Barak was briefed on the meeting, which was initiated by Sneh.

Barghouti's wife, Fadwa, said in an interview with an Arab newspaper on Sunday that her husband would be released from jail as part of a deal that would include the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3423174,00.html

[coalition_unwilling]

21. I am very impressed with your meticulous sourcing. You clearly

have access (and time) required to dig deeply into these issues, whereas I must parasitically rely upon your work :)

I think we can both agree that Hamas won a decisive victory in the most recent legislative elections, even though Hamas' popularity may have slid somewhat since, if your sources are to be believed. I'll defintiely check out your links when I get some extra time. Thanks for those.

[oberliner]

24. Thanks

I do agree that Hamas won a decisive victory in the legislative elections.

I think that their recent actions in Gaza, however, are worthy of condemnation and have led many Palestinians to change their opinions about that organization.

[LEW]

2. Oh nooooooooooooooooooooo!

Another chance to screw up in a big way!!!! Let's see if anyone shows up.

[tridim]

3. "Bush" and "Peace" in the same headline?

No thanks (oxy)moran.

BushCo has no clue what the word peace even means.

[Turbineguy]

4. She'll have to

shop for shoes first. Maybe she'll get tied up in traffic and miss the conference.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. But no one listens to her at the White House.

This is bullshit.

[calimary]

19. I think they have to find more excuses to keep her booked up, and out on the road.

The minute she sets foot back in Washington, Henry Waxman's subpoenas are still waiting for her - as yet still ignored. She's been using the excuse of "I'm just too busy" to blow him off. She doesn't dare risk getting caught with a lot of time on her hands.

[C_U_L8R]

6. The chimp is getting worried about the history books

sorry chimpy... some bs conference ain't gonna
change your miserable track record.

Worst president ever... that's how they'll write about you

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

8. ..last president of the USA

[Fovea]

7. A gigantic bone thrown to Condi

to salve the fact that Cheney wins on Iran. Booom!

She will arrive with carte blanche to sell the farm for a two state implementation with his name on it.
Non compliance will not be an option to the participants.
But this will not achieve her true goal, which is to give her husb... er ... president one
historic achievement to stand against a record that has completely changed the way I view the Harding, Nixon, and Buchanan administrations.

Whether it will last or not depends on how the middle east takes our upcoming shock and awe of Tehran. My gut says dismal prospects await her.

[rodeodance]

9. i almost want to barf when I see Bush getting credit for this

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

20. The only credit given will be for another f-up.

Book it, Dano!

[harun]

22. I am surprised either side even lets him be a part of it, maybe it is

just to get all the money they are offering. 190 mill gets your name on it I guess.

[Scurrilous]

10. Bush Pledges Aid for Abbas Government

<snip>

"President Bush pledged more aid today for the Palestinian government of President Mahmoud Abbas and called for an autumn meeting of Israel, Palestinians and their neighbors to help restart peace talks.

Mr. Bush said Palestinians faced a stark choice: freedom and progress under Mr. Abbas and his Fatah-led government, or “chaos and suffering” and endless violence under Hamas, the radical movement that Mr. Bush said had “betrayed the Palestinian people.”

“The international community must rise to the moment,” Mr. Bush said, calling on other countries in the Middle East to help realize the vision of an Israel and a Palestinian state living in peace and security. He said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would head the autumn session, whose location he did not specify.

It was not immediately clear who would attend the session. Mr. Bush urged Israel’s Arab neighbors to open talks with Israel and show leadership by “ending the fiction that Israel does not exist, stopping the incitement in their official media and sending cabinet-level visitors to Israel,” words apparently meant for America’s closest Arab ally, Saudi Arabia.

At the same time, Mr. Bush did not sound as though he was extending an invitation when he mentioned Iran and Syria, calling them “Hamas’s foreign sponsors” and accusing them of sowing discord in Lebanon as well. The president urged Arab nations to live up to the example of Anwar Sadat of Egypt and King Hussein of Jordan, whom he called “peacemakers.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/16/washington/16cnd-prexy.html?hp


U.S. Bet on Abbas For Mideast Peace Meets Skepticism

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/15/AR2007071501184_pf.html

Intelligence Reports Cast Doubt on Strength While Warning of Tenacity of Rival Hamas

<snip>

"Several intelligence assessments have warned that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, the man U.S. policymakers hope can help salvage the Middle East peace process, may not be politically strong enough to achieve that goal, according to U.S. officials.

The assessments have also cautioned that his opponents in Hamas -- the Islamic movement that is being shunned by Abbas, Israel and the United States -- will not be easily marginalized.

The White House is now betting that Abbas, replenished by the return of aid from the West and tax revenue withheld by Israel, can create a stable enclave in the West Bank and resume peace negotiations with Israel, a view reiterated yesterday by national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley. He said on ABC's "This Week" that President Bush today will publicly discuss "what we are going to do to support . . . financially, diplomatically."

The administration intends to continue politically isolating the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip. Abbas dismissed the Hamas government, which was democratically elected and has refused to recognize Israel, after it routed his security forces in Gaza.

The "West Bank first" strategy is the White House's biggest and potentially riskiest policy departure in its dealings with the Palestinian Authority since it was created in 1994. The administration is moving into uncharted territory in trying to aid Abbas even though he and his Fatah political party control just a portion of the Authority.

Intelligence reports over the past month, since Hamas's seizure of the Gaza Strip effectively split the Palestinian Authority into two parts, have assessed Abbas's position as vulnerable even in the West Bank. Hamas's popularity has dropped slightly since the split, but a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research taken a week after the fissure said that Hamas was still more popular than Fatah among more than one-quarter of West Bank Palestinians."

[Magleetis]

12. This talk of peace

from the worlds number one purveyor of war makes me want to :puke: Everything he says is a lie.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

17. Well, the world's well and truly fucked now.

Idiots.

[superconnected]

23. What's wrong with that title... It's like Satan wants meeting to promote heavenly

behavior.

I'm not buying it.

[freethought]

25. Gee wiz willicker golly gee! I feel so much safer!!!

We're saved!! A Mideast peace conference!! Truly a novel idea!!!

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

Condi to the rescue? RIGHT!!! More like Condi to the examination table for the post-mortem.

[yurbud]

26. a Bush peace conference would end with rivers of blood & other people's money in his friends pockets

[Javaman]

27. it seems morons* half baked efforts to "solve" the middle east problems

only cause more wars to errupt.

He's* like a freakin' pyro with a zippo.