Annapolis: The Seinfeld Summit

Alon Pinkas, an adviser to four foreign ministers writes "Don't Blame Condoleezza"

Rice has the unenviable, but attainable task of reconciling the parties' diverging ideas of Annapolis: Israel, which wants a Seinfeld summit (about nothing) and the Palestinians, who want things they neither deserve nor will get. She needs to essentially draft a concluding statement before the summit even convenes, a statement that, by the laws of nature and politics, cannot please everyone equally.

It has to be general enough for Ehud Olmert to maintain his coalition and fend off claims that he made concessions without reciprocity. Yet it has to be substantive enough if some form of bilateral negotiations will follow. It must be kept vague in terms of not rendering one side a loser and, at the same time, contain details that would constitute a formative document, one that will be referred to in later stages.

While Rice has been cautious and has lowered expectations of her current shuttle, she must recognize the fact that Israel and the Palestinians are not equal detractors. Olmert may be weak politically and his coalition fragile, but the process is supported by a majority of Israelis who know what it entails and have both an understanding and a willingness to accept the contours of a final-status agreement.

The Palestinians are a different story. They have a weak Mahmoud Abbas, a Hamas-controlled Gaza, a track record of minimal compliance with agreements, a resounding failure to curb terrorism and demonstrable incompetence in running the institutions and processes of a state apparatus.

And out of this there is going to be a successful summit?

Considering the weakness of the two leaders showing up, the huge gap in expectations, the background and record of Abbas and the Palestinian leadership, the lack of solid support from the Arab world, and Abbas' attempt to get back together with Hamas after assurances he would do no such thing--just who is to blame for putting this summit together and for the expected results?

Let there be no doubt. Whatever shortcomings this administration has exhibited in the region, Secretary Rice cannot fail in Annapolis. We can.

As usual, there is always Jewish--and Israeli--guilt to explain why we have tzuris.
I guess that's the difference in upbringing between Jewish mothers, and Islamist ones.

Technorati Tag: Israel and Olmert and Condoleezza Rice and Annapolis.