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Inside the Middle East
September 1, 2010
Posted: 1013 GMT

It's been hard to find many optimists about the prospects of success in renewed talks between Israelis and Palestinians.  Most of the analysts and people on the ground we've been speaking with the past week have been pretty much uniform in their skepticism.

Last week we heard from a couple of well-known Israeli analysts on opposite sides of the ideological spectrum, former Labor Cabinet Minister Yossi Beilin and the National Union Party's Arieh Eldad. 

Listen to the them in the link above and compare their shared sense of doubt about the timing and effectiveness of the talks against the rather more panglossioan view from the Quartet's Middle East Envoy Tony Blair.  

The pervasive sense of pessimism that has been hanging in the air was only heightened Tuesday with a shooting attack  in the occupied West Bank that left 4 Israeli settlers dead.  The military wing of Hamas took responsibility for the attack and is clearly hoping that it will help derail the yet-to-begin direct negotiations taking place in Washington on Thursday. 

While no one is talking about cancelling the talks the violence has only served to poison the atmosphere in which they are taking place.  The Yesha Council, which represents Jewish settlers in the West Bank said Wednesday they will renew settlement construction immediately, despite an existing moratorium on all building.

Not a good omen for the start of the talks.

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Filed under: Hamas •Israel •Palestinians •West Bank


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Chérif   September 2nd, 2010 1:02 pm ET

Israel ne fait que tourner en bourrique , aussi bien ses amis que ses ennemis.
C'est une entité que l'avenir ne l'interesse point ;ils sont labas pour faire du mal et se cacher sur les eternelles histoires de la seconde guerre comme pour se faire une place à eux seuls.
Alors qu'ils n'ont pas le monopole de la souffrance.
Tout le monde a payé le prix fort mais l'instrumentalisation a ses limites.
Nous espérons que cette fois ci,le Président OBAMA saura mettre toutes les parties devant leurs responsabilités.

PAOUR QUE LA PAIX REVIENNE AU PROCHE ORIENT.

Ariely   September 4th, 2010 6:06 pm ET

PEACE FOR LOCAL PEOPLE BY LOCAL LEADERS

America can lead the free world to create the conditions for peace however it cannot impose it
Obama was and it is wrong focusing on settlements.

The conflict basics were before the settlements and didn’t change.
If willing to settle the conflict the Arabs have plenty opportunities however they always choose to miss every one.

Different definition of peace
Arabs: A temporary agreement that will give them real estate assets lost when attacking Israel and in return giving only a vague paper with open issues for conflict continuation
-AND LATER TO DESTROY ISRAEL
Israel: A long lasting peace for the Jewish state leaving peacefully along the Arab world forever

Obama should concentrate on the conflict key issues.

1: Arabs recognition of the right of existence of Israel as a Jewish state

2: Solving the Arab refugee problem- in Arab countries
Example of Arab leader's responsibility:
The secretary general of the Arab League, Azzam Pasha:
""Advice given to the Arabs to : LEAVE AND STAY IN NEIGHBORING STATES.
Later to RETURN AND OBTAIN JWEISH""
* The Jews refugees from Arab countries in Israel should be equally considered.
Compare Jewish-Arab refugees
1.000.000 Jews-650.000 Arab refugees
Most of Jews were expelled by Arabs
Most of the Arabs leave obeying Arab leaders advice
Jewish land stolen by Arabs=38650mls–Israel land (not stolen) only 12750mls
Stolen money by Arabs~$120 billions
Israel refugees from Arab states are part of the Israel building society withought UN $ help
UN $ help to Arabs refugees is 4 times higher compared to Marshal aid to Europe following ww2
However the Arab refugees are maintained as incitement hubs and tool to destroy Israel in Arab countries

3: Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the Jews 3000 years' old capital and hub of Jewish culture
For 2000 years the Jew all over the world pray for the next year in free Jerusalem
Jerusalem is not mentioned in Quran at all.
It was never a capital of an Arab state.
Under the Muslims governments the Christians and Jews were very limited in their religion freedom in Jerusalem
However the reality is that Jerusalem is important for Jews, Christians and some Muslims.
That fore a constructive solution should be found for all.
Every religion should be responsible for their holly places.
Jewish and Christian areas controlled by Israel government
(Christians are under the run on all the ME countries .Muslims are not tolerant to infidels religions-this should not be repeated in the most important Christian holy places)
Arab areas controlled by Palestinian government.
A free movement arrangement between all holly places.

4; Every group of people prefers to be governed by their own people
Refer to the reality worldwide: Irish, Scots, Flam and Valon, all over the Balkans-, Cyprus, Kurds, Basks,Tibet and in several Russian areas
The final arrangement should avoid future similar conflicts
Israel will hand over to Palestinian government land inhabited by Arabs from Israel and Jews from settlements should be governed by Israel
Both Arabs and Jew will remain in their current homes, villages and towns- nobody will have to move physically. Nobody will be transferred

Smith in Oregon   September 7th, 2010 12:39 am ET

Israel is actively pushing America and suckering the American people into WW3 where America would square off against North Korea, China and Russia at the same time while Israel sits back and laughs at how gulliable American's are on the sidelines.

Russia has as many mobile MIRV's as Israeli Officials, undoubtedly China has MIRV's of it's own based on the miniature U.S. trident missile hydrogen warhead blueprints purportedly stolen by Israeli spy's and given to Chinese engineers which later turned up in numerous Chinese military contractor's hands where the theft was exposed.

Good luck on stopping a Mach 10 incoming MIRV with multiple decoy's, they would simply turn that tiny country into a single parking lot. The sole irony being it is Israel themselves actively pushing in that direction attempting to force America into a confrontation against North Korea, China and Russia all at the same time. Israel appears to think they'll simply sit on the sidelines as they have in the past laughing at America's gullibility. I seriously doubt North Korea, China nor Russia would let Israel get away with that however.

miriam   September 7th, 2010 11:46 am ET

Cherif and Smith,

Unfortunately it is the misconceived opinions and propagagation of deliberate lies and disinformation that are characteristic of your comments which contribute to the cause of pessimism.

There is unlikely to be much progress in peace while the process is poisoned by the hate and demonization proudly displayed by individuals, groups and nations of varying ideologies with only one issue in common.

Smith in Oregon   September 7th, 2010 6:23 pm ET

The only ones poisoning the peace process in the Middle East are the Israeli Military forces and the Mossad assassination teams in league with the U.S. Military complex with it's Shadow Government agency's who all know full well their funding would be severely cut-back and many in those agency's would be laid-off if a lasting peace treaty were signed.

Israel's military is actively pushing America to attack Iran, as I have pointed out Israel would likely be unable to simply sit out that global conflict while America engaged Iran, North Korea, China and Russia.

A single MIRV from Russia or China and Israel would immediately be nothing but a empty parking lot. It is utter nonsense to spew that couldn't happen if Israel succeeded in pushing America into attacking Iran.

Ariely   September 7th, 2010 8:29 pm ET

LYING TO IFIDELS IS A ARAB TRADITIONS
To confuse the infidels and mask Muslis plan

THE THOUGHT IS SPOCKEN ONLY IN ARABIC TO MUSLIMS
Following several links describing the lying cult
Refer:
1:islamreview articles lying
2:thereligionofpeace Quran/011 taqiyya

Typical Arab life style

Denying reality

Blaming others

Inventing false stories and later believes on their tells

Weak up people
You have potential
Building a better life

STOP KILLING WORLDWIDE ON THE NAME OF ISLAM

miriam   September 8th, 2010 9:10 am ET

Smith,

As you haven't failed to point out, Israel is a tiny country.

If Israel was attacked by one of the weapons you seem to admire so much, it won't just be Israel or its immediate neighbours that will be destroyed, even though the leaders of your beloved Iran believe in a religious immunity that will miraculously save everyone except the "zionists".

Since you share their hate and happily spread their propaganda, you can continue living in your hateful, messianic world of fantasy, waiting for Armageddon and Islamic world dominance.

Then your cynical complaints about US and Israel will seem like paradise.

Smith in Oregon   September 8th, 2010 11:12 pm ET

I find something in all nations on earth to admire, some simply have more than others. The Muslim religion does dominate and dwarf's many other religions on earth.

I have no doubts however if 'Armageddon' happened, the nation of Israel would disappear under several large mushroom clouds almost immediately. Israel who has continuously been pushing America to that place and time should seriously consider the outcome of their actions. It is utter insanity for Israel to push American into a protracted war against North Korea, China and Russia all at the same time and expect to sit on the sidelines laughing and not being severely punished as a direct result.

Israel is a tiny nation with very few national resources containing some 60% deserts and sand surrounded by larger more populated nations who hate those dwelling in Israel doesn't sound like any definition of 'paradise' to me.

As drinking water becomes ever more scarce, perhaps Israel can sell some of it's main battle tanks for more salt water purification plants.

Given the extended blood feuds and hatred directed at Israel's neighbors, I entirely doubt any of Israel's neighboring countries would even provide Israel with some of their precious fresh water which a friend would likely do but Israel certainly doesn't treat it's neighbors as 'friends' but as suspected 'enemies' currently acting like temporary allies.


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