Sources are now saying that the Middle East peace conference in Washington sponsored by US President Bush might be pushed off by two weeks, until late November. The delay would give Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas extra time to agree on a joint statement.
Senior Fatah terrorists threaten a "new intifada" if the PA's demands are not met. If the upcoming conference fails to produce the desired results, Fatah parliament head Azzam al-Ahmed says, "the repercussions will be more dangerous than what happened after the failure of Camp David."
Al-Ahmed was referring to the Oslo War that followed Yasser Arafat's refusal, in 2000, to accept then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak's offer of 95-98% of Judea, Samaria and Gaza. One thousand Israelis were murdered by Palestinian terrorists between September 2000 and September 2003.
Olmert and Abbas were to meet Wednesday to continue talks for a possible pre-conference agreement. While Olmert has said he wants a general "declaration of principles" or "declaration of interests," leaving detailed negotiations for after the conference, Abbas is pushing for specific concessions now. Abbas, head of the Fatah terrorist organization, says the conference will be worthless and even dangerous if it does not produce actual land giveaways to the PA.
Abbas and the PA insist on Israel's withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders and the destruction of the Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria. Abbas has agreed, however, to accept land in other areas of Israel in exchange for three settlement blocs that might remain under Israeli sovereignty. The PA also continues to insist on the "right of return" for millions of Arabs who claim descent from those who fled Israel during the War of Independence in 1948-9.
77 Senators
Over 3/4 of the United States Senate has signed a letter to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pointing out the importance of Arab states' cooperation in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The Arab countries must "stop support for terrorist groups and cease all anti-Israel and anti-Jewish incitement" and act for regional peace, the letter said.
The senators also called on Arab states to recognize Israel, "and not use such recognition as a bargaining chip for future concessions." They called on Arab countries and the PA to reject terrorism and to isolate Hamas. If Arab countries do not take these steps, they warned, "peace in the region will remain elusive."