Friday, August 20, 2010

Peace Talks to Begin September 2


Haaretz reported:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have been invited to Washington to begin direct peace talks on Sept. 2, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during a press conference on Friday.

The meeting will serve to "re-launch direct negotiations to resolve all final status issues which we believe we can complete in one year," Clinton said.

Note the one year time frame. It's also the window in which President Obama says Iran won't have a nuclear weapon.

"There have been difficulties in the past; there will be difficulties ahead. Without a doubt, we will hit more obstacles. The enemies of peace will keep trying to defeat us and to derail these talks. But I ask the parties to persevere," Clinton said

The past shows Israel tying up neighbors in negotiations before making war in the region. Is this happening again? If so, count on parties being at the table before an Israeli strike occurs.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the special representative of the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers - the U.S., the UN, the European Union and Russia - also has been invited to attend the dinner, she said.

Is it too much to ask for Blair to slip up again? He revealed a change in strategy on Gaza in early December 2008. Bombs fell after Christmas. Tony said Hillary approved Israel's planned pummeling of Palestinians trapped in Gaza.

This crowd orchestrated war before. It's hard to trust them to pursue peace.