Bush: World War III; Dichter: Gaza-War XIII

Bevor wir zu den Blöden kommen ... Daniel Levys Artikel über "dieses Buch da" wird die einzige Anmerkung hier bleiben: After seven lean years, Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are back on the agenda for a planned summit meeting next month in Annapolis, Maryland. Intriguingly, the return of the peace process coincides with an unusual public debate taking place in America regarding the U.S.-Israel relationship following the attention received by a book about the Israel lobby. + Amira Hass: UNRWA, the UN organization that helps Palestinian refugees, was unable to keep its promise to give students at its schools in the Gaza Strip NIS 100 each with which to buy clothes for the Id al-Fitr holiday. Why? Because Israel would not allow it to bring the cash into the strip. + "More than 60% of Gazans under the poverty line"

Die Blöden: And in tough words for Iran, which is hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bush warned that a nuclear-armed Tehran could lead to "World War III". Public Security Minister Avi Dichter on Wednesday hinted at the need for an expansive Israel Defense Forces operation in the Gaza Strip, Army Radio reported, hours after an IDF soldier was killed by Palestinian fire during a raid in southern Gaza.

Annapolis-Question: Sie werden sich nicht einig. Während nun Yasser Abed Rabbo Annapolis zum "signifikanten Startpunkt von Verhandlungen" erklärt distanziert sich Israels Aussenministerin diplomatisch von ihrer harten Linie: Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Wednesday that the goal of current talks with Palestinians is to reach as wide as possible an understanding in the time available ahead of an upcoming U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace conference set to take place before the end of the year. [Den gleichen Quark erlebten wir schon vor Camp David.] + Zitat des Tages: "The United States can't impose peace." [Bush, ACH!] Ein weiterer Bericht: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday told visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the Palestinians won't go to the Annapolis conference at any price. Derzeit steht auf der Erfolgsliste von Rice nur die mögliche Teilnahme der Ägypter. Den jordanischen König trifft sie morgen.

Visiting mayors from the United States said Thursday they were interested in joint projects with Israeli concerns, following a tour of the country's leading biotechnology companies. Deswegen: No meetings with West Bank Palestinian leaders were on their schedule.

Jerusalem-Frage: Editorial Nadav Shragai. Israel's President Shimon Peres said Wednesday that Israel had no intention of dividing Jerusalem. Und Avigdor Lieberman erklärt die intentions.

Keine Ahnung ob ich dieses Dokument schon verlinkt habe. [Letter to U.S. President George W. Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the November 2007 Middle East peace conference]

Update Syrien-Affaire: Charles hatte wie üblich vollkommen Recht: UN blames interpreter`s error for report that Syria has a nuclear facility (AP)

Editorials: Steven Gutkin, "MidEast-Summit faces hugh Challenges": Israel keeps building settlements, Islamic militants are in control in Gaza and both the Israelis and the Palestinians have politically vulnerable leaders. All that will make it difficult to implement an agreement even if the two sides agree on a path to peace at a summit next month. ++++ Steven Lee Mayers: "Rice hints at timing of MidEast talks" ++++ Michael Abramowitz: "Rices pushes MidEast parties on plan to reviev peace talks" ++++ Ran HaCohen: "The Israeli Rigth has a peace plan" ++++ Ashraf Khalil: "Rice seeks to marginalize Hamas"