RAMALLAH, West Bank, March 25, 2007
Rice In Search Of Mideast "Common Agenda"
U.S. Secretary Of State, U.N. Chief Add Their Clout To Attempts To End Mideast Peacemaking Impasse
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Play CBS Video Video U.S. Mission: Mideast Peace Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is taking a measured approach in the wake of unsuccessful missions in the past for peace in the Middle East. CBS News' Mark Phillips reports.
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U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, left, shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a joint press conference in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Sunday, March 25, 2007. (AP)
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Interactive Mideast Conflict Events, key players and a history of the world's most unstable region.
Israel welcomed the decisions by Rice and Ban not to meet with Hamas officials.
"We are happy to see world leaders and prominent figures like the secretary general continuing to uphold the Quartet principles," said Eisin, the Israeli government spokeswoman.
The new government platform falls short of the conditions, though moderate Palestinians say it implicitly recognizes Israel by "respecting" peace agreements. Abbas, who hopes to restart peace talks with Israel, has said the deal is the best he can get from Hamas.
Palestinian officials rejected the notion of diplomatic cherry-picking.
"This government is one team," Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti said. "Whoever meets with one member is meeting with the whole government."
Ban's comments indicated the challenges the Palestinians still face in selling their government to the West.
With the exception of a senior Norwegian official, a stream of foreign officials in recent days has refused to meet with Hamas Cabinet members. And the withheld funding has not been restored.
Ban is scheduled to meet with Olmert on Monday. He said he would urge the Israeli leader to release frozen Palestinian funds, ease travel restrictions in Palestinian areas and halt settlement activity in the West Bank.
Ban and Rice are in the area ahead of the Arab Summit, which is to revive the 2002 peace plan. The proposal calls for full diplomatic relations between the entire Arab world and the Jewish state in exchange for full Israeli withdrawal from lands captured in the 1967 Mideast war.
Israel is cool to a full withdrawal. It also objects to the plan's apparent endorsement of the right of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to return to properties in what is now Israel. The Israelis say a large-scale return of refugees would mean the end of the country's identity as a Jewish state.
Rice told reporters she would not seek changes in the Saudi plan, saying it is a matter for negotiations.
The U.N. chief started his day Sunday visiting the Aida refugee camp near the West Bank town of Bethlehem and inspecting Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank.
Israel says it built the enclosure to keep out Palestinian militants, who have killed hundreds of Israelis in bombing and shooting attacks. Palestinians oppose the route of the barrier, which places some 10 percent of the West Bank on the "Israeli" side.
"This has strengthened my resolve and commitment to work for peace in the Middle East," Ban said. "This is a very sad and tragic thing to see many suffering from the construction of this wall, depriving opportunities for basic living."
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Jewish Members of the 110th Congress
Senate
(13%u2014 2 Republicans, 9 Democrats, 2 Independents)
Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Herb Kohl (D-WI)
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Joseph Lieberman (I-CT)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
Charles Schumer (D-NY)
Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)
House
(30%u2014 1 Republican, 29 Democrats)
Gary Ackerman (D-NY)
Shelley Berkley (D-NV)
Howard Berman (D-CA)
Eric Cantor (R-VA)
Stephen Cohen (D-TN)*
Susan Davis (D-CA)
Rahm Emanuel (D-IL)
Eliot Engel (D-NY)
Bob Filner (D-CA)
Barney Frank (D-MA)
Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)*
Jane Harman (D-CA)
Paul Hodes (D-NH)*
Steve Israel (D-NY)
Steve Kagen (D-WI)*
Ronald Klein (D-FL)*
Tom Lantos (D-CA)
Sander Levin (D-MI)
Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
Steve Rothman (D-NJ)
Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Allyson Schwartz (D-PA)
Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Brad Sherman (D-CA)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Anthony Weiner (D-NY)
Robert Wexler (D-FL)
John Yarmuth (D-KY)*
source: AIPAC
A= Apartheid
I= In
P= Palestine
A= And
C= Canaan
The Minyan
(minimum annual contribution of $100,000)
The Minyan is AIPAC%u2019s most exclusive club. As a Minyan member, you will join an elite circle of only several hundred of AIPAC%u2019s most dedicated members who get to know the personalities behind the politics. Minyan members have the opportunity to interact up close and personal with the men and women making policy during unique events such as The Minyan Mission to Washington, D.C., Sept. 11-13, 2006.
Past Minyan Missions have included a private dinner with Vice President *** Cheney, closed-door briefings at the White House with the President%u2019s top foreign policy advisors and breakfast on Capitol Hill with key congressional committee chairs.
Minyan members receive an unparalleled chance to peer behind the scenes of America%u2019s foreign policy. Members have had their picture taken and mingled with leaders such as President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, former Israeli President Chaim Herzog and many others.
As a member of AIPAC%u2019s most exclusive club, you also will enjoy the benefits you deserve %u2014 , along with invitations to memorable events at some of America%u2019s finest landmarks or in the homes of America%u2019s most influential public personalities.
If you can't pay the $100'000, just get out of the way hick!
The War in Iraq is still not the war on Terror and Iraq still did not attack America on 911! President Bush and the Republicans have failed on their Support for the Troops on all Counts!
If you follow the money trail you will find that most of those elected officials who support the war in Iraq are under the influence of AIPAC.
http://www.aipac.org/forms/join_aipacClubs.htm
Now here is the real kicker! President Bush is funding Al Qaeda in Lebanon with funds from Iraq! This is Impeachment and Treason! Here is the proof Read it!
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/070305fa_fact_hersh
If you think Americas sacrifice is worth it contact your ELECTED OFFICIAL and tell them http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
The House Speakers email address: AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov
info@gop.com Here is the Republican Party email address too!
democraticparty@democrats.org Here is the Democratic Party email address also!
A destination? Sounds like they're planning a vacation somewhere.
If America does not oblige both parties to fulfill UN resolutions 242 & 338, the "destination" will be more terrorists ready to blow up more innocents, more IDF repression and killing, maybe even more terrorism on our shores.
This conflict is the breeding grounds for 85% of world terrorism and saying we have to fand a "destination" is not enough.
"I'm running out of excuses for no peace, Condi, You must get Abbas or Hamas to attack us. Did you bring my check from Boeing?"