RAMALLAH, West Bank, Nov. 5, 2007
Rice, Abbas Encouraged About Mideast Meet
Rice, Palestinian Leader Think Upcoming Conference Could Lead To Peace Deal
-
-
Palestinian civilians take cover as a security officer secures a street in the Balata refugee camp near Nablus in the West Bank, Nov. 5, 2007. (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP/Getty)
-
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after their news conference, Monday, Nov. 5, 2007. (David Furst/AFP/Getty)
-
-
Interactive Mideast Conflict Events, key players and a history of the world's most unstable region.
-
Fast Facts Israel Learn about the people, economy and history.
Only a day earlier, the top Israeli and Palestinian negotiators had warned that they were running into difficulties in preparing for the conference, which is to be held in coming weeks in Annapolis, Maryland. The conference is to relaunch talks on a final peace deal, which broke down in 2001.
The core issues are the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and final borders, reports CBS News correspondent Robert Berger. Also, the Palestinians want a timetable for establishment of a Palestinian state, but Israel wants a slower approach. It says that first, the Palestinians must take steps to curb terrorism.
Abbas said Monday that he has received "encouraging signs" from Israel and the U.S.
In other developments:
(Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP/Getty)
"I agree with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that there is a real possibility to achieve peace, and I say we are serious to use this opportunity to reach this historical peace," Abbas said at a joint news conference with Rice.
Quote
Rice said she was "tremendously impressed by the seriousness" Israeli and Palestinian leaders have shown in moving toward renewed peace talks, but gave no specifics. "I'm quite confident that the will is there on both sides that people want to end this conflict," she added.We have all waited too long for peace.
Secretary of State Condoleezza RiceShe also expressed hope that a peace deal could be reached "within the time remaining for the Bush administration," meaning a little over a year. Olmert had made a similar reference on Sunday, apparently to address Palestinian demands for setting a deadline for peace talks.
An Abbas aide, Nabil Abu Rdeneh, said the Palestinian leader won assurances from Rice that all the key issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - that includes borders, Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees - will be dealt with in peace talks that are to follow the Annapolis conference.
Abu Rdeneh said the U.S. also promised that Israel would meet its short-term obligations under the first stage of the three-stage "road map" plan. The internationally backed plan - meant to lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state - has been dormant for four years, but is being revived as a way of trying to boost confidence ahead of the Mideast conference.
Israel's initial road map obligations include freezing West Bank settlements, dismantling illegal settlement outposts, easing Palestinian movement and redeploying troops in the West Bank. "Rice told Abbas that Olmert has agreed to implement the first phase of the road map," Abu Rdeneh said.
For their part, Palestinians must disarm militants, round up illegal weapons and reform their security services. The Palestinians say they've made progress in meeting these requirements, though Israel says they have a long way to go.
Israel, meanwhile, continues to expand settlements, has not dismantled any of the dozens of outposts and has not eased Palestinian movement in the West Bank. Olmert said Sunday that Israel is willing, in principle, to meet its obligations, and suggested that the Palestinians haven't really started yet, either.
Abbas reiterated Monday that both sides should start immediately and in parallel to carry out their obligations. Palestinian officials said they want Rice to impose a timetable for these steps.
Rice met separately Monday with Abbas, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and the top Palestinian negotiator, Ahmed Qureia. On Sunday, she held talks with Israeli leaders and, along with Olmert, addressed a Jerusalem conference of leaders, former peace negotiators and scholars.
Rice is in the region to check on progress in preparing for the conference. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have been trying to write a joint document that would serve as a blueprint for resolving their conflict. Both sides acknowledged publicly on Sunday that they're facing difficulties.
In a speech Sunday night, Rice warned that if the conference fails to produce progress toward setting up a Palestinian state, Muslim extremists would increase their influence. "If we do not act now to show the Palestinians a way forward, others will show them a way forward," she said.
Rice said both sides must take advantage of the current opportunity. "Palestinians have waited too long for the dignity that will come with an independent state," she said. "We have all waited too long for peace."
The Palestinians have asked for setting a deadline for a peace deal, pointing to more than a decade of failed efforts, but Israel has rejected the idea. Instead, Israel says assurances of its determination should be enough.
Olmert told Sunday's gathering that he believes "real accomplishments" are possible in the remaining year of President Bush's term. "There is no intention of dragging the negotiations on endlessly. There is no reason to suffer the same foot-dragging which previously characterized our discussions," he said.
Meanwhile, Olmert is considering a Palestinian request that he release some 2,000 of the 12,000 Palestinian prisoners Israel holds before the Annapolis summit, officials said Monday.
Fayyad told The Associated Press in a weekend interview that it is time for Israel to make bold moves to reassure the Palestinian people it is serious about peace negotiations. Freeing 2,000 prisoners ahead of the conference would help to boost trust, Fayyad said.
The Yediot Ahronot daily said Israel would, among others, free several prisoners jailed for planning or carrying out attacks on Israelis. In the past, Israel has been reluctant to free such prisoners, but Yediot reported that the prisoners in question have already served dozens of years in jail.
Israeli government spokesman David Baker said that "Israel received a request to release Palestinian prisoners and is considering it."
Israel, which conducts nightly arrest raids in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, has released about 340 Palestinian prisoners in recent months.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More From World
Add a Comment See all 86 Comments
- SlipSter01 Posted:
Ron Paul voted against the Do-Not-Call Registry
Ron Paul voted against extending Unemployment Compensation Act
Ron Paul voted against the Supplemental Appropriations Act for Further Recovery From and Response to Terrorist Attacks
Ron Paul voted against stricter penalties for sexual predators
Ron Paul voted aginst the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act
Ron Paul voted against the Child Custody Protection Act
Ron Paul voted against the Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act
Ron Paul refused to recognize A Resolution Honoring the Contributions of Catholic Schools
Ron Paul regularly votes against funding the military (year after year)
Ron Paul voted against the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Response Act
Ron Paul voted against Expressing Solidarity With Israel in the Fight Against Terrorism
Ron Paul voted against the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act
Ron Paul was the only vote against the Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Amendments Act
Ron Paul was the only vote against the Financial Anti-Terrorism Act
Ron Paul voted against deterring and punishing terrorist acts in the United States and around the world
Ron Paul voted against Urging the Secretary of Energy to Fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Ron Paul was the only vote against the Military Construction Appropriations
Ron Paul was the only vote against the resolution To Promote Freedom and Democracy in Viet Nam - Reply to this comment
- RE :
Law Offices
CBS News
Explain this Chronic ...Habitual...and Harassing - Political Spam -
Posted by : LAProphet..... (aka NHProphet)
Every day - All Week long within most of the topics on
The CBS News Site
Lastdance - Reply to this comment
- What we need is a President who will show us the way. Not the old way. Not the same way, but a NEW WAY. Think about this for a minute. What if we pulled all of our troops out of South Korea? They''ve been there for 50+ years. What if we quit worrying about Iran, but instead, realized that its having a nuclear weapon will not mean the end of the world? What if we pulled all of our troops out of the Middle-East, and brought them all home? What if we realistically addressed the National Debt, and paid attention to REALLY DOING SOMETHING about stopping illegal immigration? These are the ideas of Republican Presidential candidate, Dr. Ron Paul. He''s a ten term Congressman and a physician who has delivered over 4,000 babies. He''s an intellectual who''s published four books, three of which are devoted entirely to sound economics and one to foreign policy. He was raised on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania as a pious Lutheran, but now he attends a Baptist church. Paul is given to mulling things over morally. Whenever he recollects the helicopter pilots he treated as an Air Force Flight Surgeon (Captain) during the Vietnam War, a war which he now says was "totally unnecessary and illegal," he laments, "They were gung-ho. I''ve often thought about how many of those people never came back." Candidates with the high level of personal integrity and proven track record of adherance to The Constitution, Congressman Paul has always demonstrated only come around once in a lifetime, if we''re lucky.
- Reply to this comment
- RE :
Law Offices
CBS News
Explain this Chronic ...Habitual...and Harassing - Political Spam -
Posted by : LAProphet..... (aka NHProphet)
Every day - All Week long within most of the topics on
The CBS News Site
Lastdance - Reply to this comment
- Freedom is apparently popular, folks. I''m glad it is. In just the last 24 hours, he has already raised over $4,000,000 in grass roots donations from his supporters, beating Mitt Romney''s previous one-day (Republican) record of 3.1 million Dollars. Do the math, folks. Ron Paul certainly isn''t getting any money from the bankers or the military industrial complex like all the sold-out NWO candidates both on the left and the right who pretend to be his equal. He''s getting support from millions of REAL people who share in his Hope For America:
(1) No more meddling in other country''s political affairs
(2) No more aggressive military actions overseas
(3) No more pseudo-wars like the "War on Drugs"
(4) No more IRS and unconstitutional income taxes
(5) No more Federal Reserve (the group of private banks which owns our government)
(6) No more abortion
(7) No more U.N. participation
(8) No more federal Laws which are not authorized by The Constitution
(9) No more all-powerful federal government
They don''t call him "Dr. No" for no reason. The Doctor is in! Join us in this 21st Century political revolution at ronpaul2008.com
Thanks Everyone! - Reply to this comment
- "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
- Mahatma Gandhi
There is simply no other politician like Ron Paul. He understands the ills of our nation and how to cure them. The Doctor is in! - Reply to this comment
- I support Ron Paul and his non-interventionist foreign policy. Hitlery wants to continue our illegal police action in Iraq until at least 2013, and she does not rule out a preemptive (nuclear) first strike against Iran. Ron Paul voted against our (undeclared) war in Iraq, which was sold to us with lies. The area is more dangerous now than when we entered it. We destroyed a regime hated by our direct enemies--the jihadists, and created thousands of new recruits for them. The war in Iraq has cost more than 3,400 American lives and almost a trillion dollars. We need a leader in the White House who will ensure this never happens again. Both Jefferson and Washington warned us about entangling ourselves in the affairs of other nations. Today, we have 750 foreign bases and troops in 130 countries. We are spread so thin that we have too few troops defending America. And now, there are new calls for a draft. We can continue to fund and fight no-win police actions around the globe, or we can refocus on securing our borders against illegal aliens who are invading our country from the South. No war should ever be fought without a Declaration of War voted upon by the Congress, as required by The Constitution. Under no circumstances should the U.S. again go to war as the result of a resolution that comes from an unelected, foreign body, such as the United Nations. Too often, we give foreign aid and intervene on behalf of governments that are despised. Then, we too become despised.
- Reply to this comment
- Ron Paul does not support secret offshore prisons like the one in Guantanamo, wherein our government tortures prisoners, who have no right to redress of grievance, or to Writ of Habeus Corpus. Ron Paul promises he will close these "illegal prisons" down. He wouldn''t necessarily just release the prisoners either. He said he would simply bring them to detainment facilities on U.S. soil where they would be entitled to an attorney, and to their day in Court--American Justice. Significant others agree with Paul. "Essentially, we have shaken the belief that the world had in America''s justice system by keeping a place like Guantanamo open and creating things like a military commission," former U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell recently said.
- Reply to this comment
- People have gotten wise to the fact that vaccines are contaminated with DNA fragments, viruses, fungus, mercury, and a cocktail of other poisonous toxins. Fleets of reputable studies have been published globally detailing the wide swaths of destruction caused by vaccines, including autism. So, now the establishment is on the offensive, attempting to bully us into submission. Big Pharma is one of the biggest businesses in the world. It is among the top three purchasers of advertisement in print, TV and radio. Thay have major pull. President Bush recently vetoed a Bill which would have forced Big Pharma to remove mercury from vaccines. If that''s not bad enough, parts of the so-called Patriot Act contains provisions that essentialy remove the spectre of civil liability against Big Pharma with respect to vaccines. This was done under the quise of protecting Big Pharma in case they had to quickly develop a vaccine to combat some form of biological terrorism. No other candidate for President understands health issues as well as Dr. Ron Paul does. He not only supported the Bill which would have removed mercury from our vaccines, he voted against the Patriot Act as well. Dr. Paul., an OB/GYN physician, who has delivered over 4,000 babies, has been the national leader in preserving our Health Freedom. He feels that Americans are justifiably concerned over the government''s escalating intervention into our freedom to choose what we eat and how we take care of our health. Go Ron Paul!
- Reply to this comment
- RE :
Law Offices
CBS News
Explain this Chronic ...Habitual...and Harassing - Political Spam -
Posted by : LAProphet..... (aka NHProphet)
Every day - All Week long within most of the topics on
The CBS News Site
Lastdance - Reply to this comment
- Unlike Hitlery and the so-called GOP frontrunner, Giuliani, Dr. Paul fights for the right of an innocent, unborn child. He believes the right to life is at the heart of the American ideals of liberty. His professional and legislative record demonstrates his strong commitment to this pro-life principle. In 40 years of medical practice, he never once considered performing an abortion, nor did he ever find abortion necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman. In Congress, he authored legislation that seeks to define life as beginning at conception (HR 1094). He is also the prime sponsor of HR 300, which would negate the effect of Roe v Wade by removing the ability of federal courts to interfere with state legislation to protect life. This is a practical, direct approach to ending federal court tyranny which threatens our constitutional republic and has caused the deaths of 45 million of the unborn. He also authored HR 1095, which prevents federal funds to be used for population control. Many other GOP candidates, except Giuliani, talk about being pro-life. Ron Paul took direct action to restore protection for the unborn. As an OB/GYN doctor, he delivered over 4,000 babies. That experience made him an unshakable foe of abortion. Many of you may have his book, Challenge To Liberty, which champions the idea that there cannot be liberty in a society unless the rights of all innocents are protected. Ron Paul respects the dignity of human life.
- Reply to this comment
- Unlike Hitlery and the so-called GOP frontrunner, Giuliani, Dr. Paul fights for the right of an innocent, unborn child. He believes the right to life is at the heart of the American ideals of liberty. His professional and legislative record demonstrates his strong commitment to this pro-life principle. In 40 years of medical practice, he never once considered performing an abortion, nor did he ever find abortion necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman. In Congress, he authored legislation that seeks to define life as beginning at conception (HR 1094). He is also the prime sponsor of HR 300, which would negate the effect of Roe v Wade by removing the ability of federal courts to interfere with state legislation to protect life. This is a practical, direct approach to ending federal court tyranny which threatens our constitutional republic and has caused the deaths of 45 million of the unborn. He also authored HR 1095, which prevents federal funds to be used for population control. Many other GOP candidates, except Giuliani, talk about being pro-life. Ron Paul took direct action to restore protection for the unborn. As an OB/GYN doctor, he delivered over 4,000 babies. That experience made him an unshakable foe of abortion. Many of you may have his book, Challenge To Liberty, which champions the idea that there cannot be liberty in a society unless the rights of all innocents are protected. Ron Paul respects the dignity of human life.
- Reply to this comment
- Like Ron Paul, I believe the biggest threat to your privacy is the government. We must drastically limit the ability of government to collect and store data regarding a citizens'' personal matters. We must stop the move toward a national ID card system (e.g., The Real ID Act). Under this new Law, states are currently issuing new driver''s licenses embedded with standard identifier data (RFID chips). Although, some states like Montana are refusing to comply. A national ID with new tracking technologies means we''re heading into an Orwellian world of no privacy. Ron Paul was one of the few members of Congess who voted against the Real ID Act. Also, under current medical privacy protection rules, which Ron Paul also opposed, insurance companies and other entities have access to your personal medical information. Finally, there''s the so-called Patriot Act, which Congressman, Ron Paul also voted against. As originally proposed, it expanded the federal government''s ability to use wiretaps without judicial oversight; allowed nationwide search warrants non-specific to any given location, nor subject to any local judicial oversight; made it far easier for the government to monitor private Internet usage; authorized sneak and peek warrants enabling federal authorities to search a person''s home, office, or personal property without that person''s knowledge; and required libraries to turn over records of books read by their patrons. Ron Paul sponsored a Bill to overturn the Patriot Act.
- Reply to this comment
- RE :
Law Offices
CBS News
Explain this Chronic ...Habitual...and Harassing - Political Spam -
Posted by : LAProphet..... (aka NHProphet)
Every day - All Week long within most of the topics on
The CBS News Site
Lastdance - Reply to this comment
- If he is elected President, Dr. Paul''s will work to abolish the Federal Reserve System as well as the IRS, returning return our country to the Gold Standard. He believes, as I do, that our current Income Tax System is unconstitutional, because it''s is a direct tax that is not equally apportioned as The Constitution requires. Whenever taxes are raised by the federal government, it should be done as The Constitution DOES require--in an indirect way which is equally apportioned. This system would benefit all of us, creating more individual wealth, and allowing us to make more decisions for ourselves about our lives. Dr. Paul will also work to abolish the Federal Reserve, a group of private banks which loans our government money that they print out of thin air, making each dollar in your pocket worth less, and increasing our national debt. The Federal Reserve is not a government agency. It is a group of private banks run by unelected officials who are not required to be accountable to we the people. Worse, our economy and our very independence as a nation is increasingly in the hands of foreign governments such as China and Saudi Arabia, which finance our runaway spending. If we don''t cut spending now, especially overseas military spending, higher taxes and economic disaster will be our future. Our guidelines for governing taxation and spending is called The Constitution. Ron Paul has ACTUALLY read it! He''s published three books on economics. Read ''em free at ronpaullibrary.org
- Reply to this comment
- I agree with Ron Paul about the issue of illegal immigration. The talk must stop. We must secure our borders now. A nation without secure borders is no nation at all. It makes no sense to fight terrorists abroad when our own front door is left unlocked. Ron Paul has a plan: (1.) Physically secure our borders and coastlines. We must do whatever it takes to control entry into our country before we undertake complicated immigration reform proposals. (2.) Enforce visa rules. Immigration officials must track visa holders and deport anyone who overstays their visa or otherwise violates U.S. Law. This is especially important when we recall that a number of 9/11 terrorists had expired visas. (3.) No amnesty. Estimates suggest that 10 to 20 million people are in our country illegally. That''s a lot of people to reward for breaking our Laws. (4.) No welfare for illegal aliens. Americans have welcomed immigrants who seek opportunity, work hard, and play by the rules, but taxpayers should not pay for illegal immigrants who use hospitals, clinics, schools, roads, and social services. (5.) End birthright citizenship. As long as illegal immigrants know their children born here will be citizens, the incentive to enter the U.S. illegally will remain strong. (6.) Pass true immigration reform. The current system, and those proposed by ALL other candidates, is incoherent and unfair, and would allow up to 60 million more immigrants into our country. Vote for Ron Paul.
- Reply to this comment
- They Don''t call him "Doctor No" for no reason. Congressman, Paul never votes for any Bill which he feels is not authorized by The Constitution, regardless of what it is named. Ron Paul "is one of the easiest people in Congress to work with, because he bases his positions on the merits of issues," says Barney Frank, who has worked with Paul on efforts to ease the regulation of gambling and medical marijuana. "He is independent, but not ornery." Paul has made a habit of objecting to things that no one else objects to. In October 2001, he was one of only three House Republicans to vote against the USA Patriot Act. He was the sole House member of either party to vote against the Financial Antiterrorism Act (412-1). In 1999, he was the only naysayer in a 424-1 vote in favor of casting a medal to honor Rosa Parks. Nothing against Rosa Parks. Paul also voted against similar medals for Reagan and Pope John Paul II. He did offer $100 of his own money, though, to help pay for Reagan''s medal, and invited others in Congress to match his offer, but not one Member took him-up on it. Instead, Congress spent YOUR money. He not only routinely opposes resolutions that are unconstitutional, he votes against Bills which presume to advise foreign governments how to run their affairs: He has refused to condemn Mugabe''s violence against Zimbabwean citizens (421-1), to call on Vietnam to release political prisoners (425-1) or to ask the League of Arab States to help stop the killing in Darfur (425-1).
- Reply to this comment
- Most intelligent people can see right through the mainstream media''s bias against Ron Paul. "What about the polls?", you ask. As someone who''s been in the business, I know you can make a poll result look anyway you want. All you have to do is call or not call on people in a certain demographic group to achieve your desired result. You can see the man has support. He''s won ALL of the viewer call-in polls in ALL of the GOP debates he''s been in. People everywhere are in the street, and on the Net, supporting him like no other. And his campaign chest is growing daily, and not from huge corporate donations like the other GOP and Democratic party candidates get from defense contractors and bankers, but from grass root supporters who give what little they can afford--$5, $10, whatever. This is a 21st Century political revolution, my friends, and the Oligarchs or on the defensive. Ignore what the media network giants like CBS tell you. They sold-out to the status quo decades ago. This man has some major grass roots support across this country. Millions of Americans believe he is our only hope to restore peace, prosperity and freedom in this country. Presidential candidates with the personal integrity and proven track record of adherance to The Constitution Congressman, Paul has always demonstrated only come around only once in a lifetime, if we''re lucky. The stakes are too high. The cause of freedom is too important. Get off your couch, put the remote down and support Ron Paul!
- Reply to this comment
- Dr. Ron Paul., an OB/GYN physician, has been the national leader in preserving our Health Freedom. He feels that Americans are justifiably concerned over the government''s escalating intervention into their freedom to choose what they eat and how they take care of their health. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in order to comply with standards dictated by supra-national organizations such as the UN''s World Food Code (CODEX), NAFTA, and CAFTA, has been assuming greater control over nutrients, vitamins and natural health care providers to restrict your right to choose the manner in which you manage your health and nutritional needs. He introduced the Health Freedom Protection Act, HR 2117, to ensure Americans can receive truthful health information about supplements and natural remedies. He supports the Access to Medical Treatment Act, H.R. 2717, which expands the ability of Americans to use alternative medicine and new treatments. He opposes legislation that increases the FDA''s legal powers. The FDA has consistently failed to protect the public from dangerous drugs, genetically modified foods, dangerous pesticides and other chemicals in the food supply. Meanwhile they waste public funds attacking safe, healthy foods and dietary supplements. He also opposed the Homeland Security Bill, which, in section 304, authorizes the forced vaccination of American citizens against small pox. The government should never have the power to require immunizations or vaccinations.
- Reply to this comment
- Noticed prices are higher lately? So have I. Inflation, which increases the price of everything you buy, be it a dozen eggs at the store, or the price you pay for gas at the pump, is caused when The Federal Reserve, a group of private banks run by unelected officials, who are not accountable to we the people, lowers the interest rate, notwithstanding the fact that the Dollar has been undergoing a major devaluation overseas, rather than increasing the interest rate like it should have done. That''s Economics 101, folks. Everything costs more in U.S. Dollars, because the Dollar is worth less. Because the Fed is allowed to print unbacked money out of thin air, and then loan it to the our government, which is then saddled with an interest obligation to pay it back, our money is becoming worth less and less each day, and our National debt to the Fed is approaching 10 trillion dollars. It gets worse. Most of our debt is owned by China (25%) and Saudi Arabia who buy our Treasury Bonds, which finances our runaway military spending overseas. This is a threat to our nation, folks. We need to stop this madness. We need to bring our troops home from overseas, and use the trillions we would then save thereby to reduce our debt, and to re-invigorate our currency. We can then use this money to ensure that Social Security and other essential programs will still be solvent in ten years. Vote for Ron Paul. He''s written entire books on the topic of sound economics. ronpaullibrary.org
- Reply to this comment
