Rice: Israel's Security Is Not On The Agenda

Remarks With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

The international meeting has to be serious. It has to be substantive. I really do want to underscore here in front of the President and in front of the Palestinian people, the President of the United States has no intention to invite the international community and the Palestinians and Israelis for a meeting that is not substantive. We have many things to do. We don't need a photo opportunity. We need a meeting that will advance the cause of a Palestinian state. That is the only reason to have a meeting.

While Israeli forces in the West Bank protect Abbas and Fatah from Hamas, there is no talk of Israel's security.

Then there is this line:

And to you, Mr. President, I say thank you very much for your leadership and for the work that you are engaged in to accelerate the work towards the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Leadership? If reneging on promises is a sign of leadership, Abbas may be their Winston Churchill.

For that matter, look how the media talks about the agenda for November.

The Washington Post:

Rice Glosses Over Mideast Differences

Standing with Rice at his West Bank headquarters, Abbas said his side is sincere in working for what he called a "final status framework agreement" that would address the three largest questions.

Borders, refugees and Jerusalem are together called "final status issues."

The Jerusalem Post falls for this hook, line and sinker:

Abbas ready to settle tough issues

"The time has come for the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital that will exist alongside Israel in peace and security," Abbas told reporters after a two-hour meeting with Rice. He said their talks also focused on ensuring the success of the upcoming conference.

...For the peace process to regain credibility, Abbas said, Israel must stop the construction of settlements and the security barrier and lift the closures in the Palestinian territories.

Abbas also criticized Israel's decision to declare the Gaza Strip hostile territory and warned that "collective punishment" would undermine his efforts to achieve peace with Israel and to impose law and order in the Palestinian territories.

Abbas merely reflects what everyone, the US included have come to accept: peace means the gradual conceding by Israel to each and every demand conjured up by the Palestinian Arabs. As a result, instead of being required to stop the terrorism--Abbas can demand that Israel remove those barriers that prevent the terrorism that Abbas won't stop.

If anything, the Hamas takeover of Gaza makes it more difficult for Israel, since Abbas can no longer be held for the Kassam rockets being fired into Israel--thus making possible the illusion that Abbas is a moderate seriously negotiating with Israel.

That makes the end of the Jerusalem Post article that much more alarming:

Also Thursday, Ahmed Yusef, political adviser to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, revealed that his movement was conducting secret talks with Fatah. He told the Bethlehem-based Maan news agency that some people in Abbas's office and within Fatah were more willing than ever to accept mediation to resolve the crisis between Hamas and Fatah.

Yusef said Hamas would be prepared to hand back security installations in the Gaza Strip to Fatah in the context of reconciliation between the two parties. He also expressed Hamas's readiness to declare a long-term truce with Israel.

If Abbas is serious about getting back together with Hamas, real demands--not guarantees--have to be placed on Abbas. That suggestion, of course, is absurd on its face since Abbas has no authority to make any real concession.

Which is why this November meeting is worse than a farce.

Technorati Tag: Abbas and Condoleezza Rice.