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CAMP DAVID LIKELY TO RESUME SOON
"Our shared conviction
is that this is critically
important for stability
and the future of the region."
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East
MID-EAST REALITIES - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 8/15:
It was only a recess at Camp David; and soon they will be back.
Getting Yasser Arafat to sign a "final peace", getting a rump and deformed Palestinian State set up on Israeli terms and of course under Israel control, getting Hillary elected with Jewish help in New York, and getting Al and Joe elected with Jewish and Hollywood help in Washington, all of these matters have come into confluence at this particular time in history.
The political stars are aligned. Most of the Israelis are actually salivating to bring it about...ealizing that Ehud Barak is right, it will be a "tremendous accomplishment". Pushed intensely by the U.S. and Israel, and with the ongoing help of associated Arab client regimes in the region, the deal is to be done. But how long the bloom will last, that however is yet to be determined.
For this like so many other such "peace agreements" in the past will likely eventually prove deceptive, hollow, and treacherous...containing the seeds of much more conflict and destruction. It will however last long enough to push forward all the above short-term goals, line the pockets of Arafat and cronies, and "stabilize" the region under U.S./Israeli domination with the Hashemites, the Al-Sauds, the Al-Sabahs and various U.S. supported dictatorial/military regimes repressively in charge.
It's a terrible deal for the Palestinians and the Arabs of course, which is why Arafat has been scampering everywhere desperately trying to neutralize the potentially overwhelming opposition to it. But the tens of billions of dollars the Americans will use to pay everyone off; and the considerable amount of covert capabilities both the U.S. and Israelis can bring to bear to help keep the Arab client regimes in power if they continue playing ball; these are powerful incentives -- bribes if you will -- to get Arafat to do the deed, and to get many of the Arab regimes to at the least go along and mute their anxiety.
Much more to come from MER on what is really going on here in the days ahead.
Meanwhile, just read between the lines of the following two Reuters
reports circulating today:
U.S. ENVOY SAYS MISEAST PEACE NOT FAR OFF
ANKARA, Aug 15 (Reuters) - U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Edward
Walker
said on Tuesday he was optimistic that a Palestinian-Israeli peace
settlement
could be achieved ``in the not too distant future.''
Walker spoke in Turkey during a 14-state tour of Middle Eastern countries
to
try to secure backing for more talks to build on what he called ``very
substantial'' progress made at Camp David last month.
``Our shared conviction is that this is critically important for stability
and the future of the region,'' Walker told reporters after meeting
Turkish
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.
``Our optimism is that because the differences are somewhat small, we
will be
able to reach an agreement in the not too distant future,'' he said.
``When I say small it doesn't mean not important. These differences
are
critically important, foremost among them is the question of Jerusalem.''
The Camp David summit in the United States foundered over the status
of
Jerusalem which Israel describes as its ``undivided capital.'' Palestinians
want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state.
Walker's visit follows trips to Ankara by Palestinian President Yasser
Arafat
and Israel's chief negotiator Shlomo Ben-Ami, each pressing their case.
Arafat has vowed to declare an independent Palestinian state whether
or not
Israel and the Palestinians forge a final peace by their September
13 target
date.
``Turkey has been in touch with the Palestinians and the Israelis separately
in recent weeks, they have ideas to contribute, they have been historically
helpful on this issue,'' Walker said.
Turkey has already given its backing for the declaration of a Palestinian
state but also has good relations with Israel, with which it has a
number of
military agreements.
--------------------
ARAFAT SAYS SUMMIT POSSIBLE AFTER U.S. CONVENTION
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Yasser Arafat
said on
Tuesday that Middle East summit talks might resume after this week's
Democratic National Convention involving U.S. President Bill Clinton
comes to
an end.
Arafat was asked by Reuters as he arrived in Malaysia on a round-the-world
tour when he expected to resume peace talks with Israel.
``As has been mentioned by His Excellency President Clinton when we
left
(Camp) David, he said maybe, maybe we will come back after the Democratic
Convention,'' Arafat said.
``As you know, he (Clinton) has to be there and to participate in this
convention.''
Negotiations between Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak at
Camp
David ended inconclusively in July due largely to differences over
the status
of Jerusalem, the holy city each side claims for its capital.
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