US MediationIsrael and Palestine
The US would like to believe it is fair and balanced and a fair broker for the conflict. Most of the rest of the world, and especially the Arab street, see things otherwise. Why? What do do we say and do to promote that view? Do we even recognise that we do it?
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Powell to Meet With Israeli, Palestinian (Ayalon-Nusseibeh plan)
Excite News: "Powell to Meet With Israeli, Palestinian | Dec 11, 5:14 PM (ET) | By BARRY SCHWEID
WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Colin Powell is giving fresh encouragement to would-be Israeli and Palestinian peacemakers by meeting with advocates of a total Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza.
The meeting with Israeli Adm. Ami Ayalon and Palestinian professor Sari Nusseibeh late Thursday follows one a week ago with former Israeli negotiator Yossi Beilin and Palestine Liberation Organization official Yasser Abed-Rabbo, who wrote a peace treaty they are trying to promote.
...
But at a meeting in Rome with European nations who are helping to finance the Authority, State Department official David Satterfield said, "The Israeli government has done too little for far too long to translate its repeatedly stated commitment to facilitate Palestinian reform into reality.
"Continuing Israeli restrictions on movement, and the consistent failure to issue permits to Palestinians identified as critical to the success of the reform effort, significantly hamper the Palestinian reform agenda," Satterfield said.
At the National Security Council, meanwhile, Yair Hirschfeld, who helped Beilin negotiate an Israeli pullback on the West Bank 10 years ago, called on Rob Dineen, an NSC staff member working on Mideast issues.
Rejecting any suggestion of a subtle shift in U.S. policy, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, "We talk to all kinds of groups."
Excite News: "Powell to Meet With Israeli, Palestinian | Dec 11, 5:14 PM (ET) | By BARRY SCHWEID
WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Colin Powell is giving fresh encouragement to would-be Israeli and Palestinian peacemakers by meeting with advocates of a total Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza.
The meeting with Israeli Adm. Ami Ayalon and Palestinian professor Sari Nusseibeh late Thursday follows one a week ago with former Israeli negotiator Yossi Beilin and Palestine Liberation Organization official Yasser Abed-Rabbo, who wrote a peace treaty they are trying to promote.
...
But at a meeting in Rome with European nations who are helping to finance the Authority, State Department official David Satterfield said, "The Israeli government has done too little for far too long to translate its repeatedly stated commitment to facilitate Palestinian reform into reality.
"Continuing Israeli restrictions on movement, and the consistent failure to issue permits to Palestinians identified as critical to the success of the reform effort, significantly hamper the Palestinian reform agenda," Satterfield said.
At the National Security Council, meanwhile, Yair Hirschfeld, who helped Beilin negotiate an Israeli pullback on the West Bank 10 years ago, called on Rob Dineen, an NSC staff member working on Mideast issues.
Rejecting any suggestion of a subtle shift in U.S. policy, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, "We talk to all kinds of groups."
