Annapolis Process for Mideast Peace Garners Strong Support

16 December 2008

(Rice highlights Israeli-Palestinian efforts to realize two-state solution)

By David McKeeby
Staff Writer

Washington — Palestinian and Israeli negotiators have made considerable progress since restarting peace talks at the U.S.-sponsored Annapolis Conference in November 2007, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who urged both sides to redouble their efforts toward a two-state solution and a future Palestinian state.

“The United States has a national interest in the conclusion of a final treaty. And it is in the long-term interest of Israel to provide a more hopeful society for Palestinians,” Rice said December 16. “The establishment of the state of Palestine is long overdue, and there should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967.”

Rice met in New York December 15–16 with America’s partners in the Quartet for Middle East Peace — the United Nations, the European Union and Russia — to assess progress toward peace in the Middle East since the Annapolis Conference at the U.S. Naval Academy outside Washington, which relaunched Israeli-Palestinian talks aimed at resolving the thorniest issues at the heart of more than half a century of conflict.

More than 50 nations and international organizations joined in the effort, which has since expanded into a comprehensive drive toward peace known as the “Annapolis process.” The Quartet has played a key role by building confidence on both sides by helping implement a series of diplomatic and security measures outlined in its “road map” plan. Quartet Special Representative Tony Blair has been helping Palestinians build strong governing institutions for their future state. The Quartet also has been conducting outreach efforts to the Arab League and other bodies to engage the wider region in the peace process.

While Israeli and Palestinian leaders fell short of their goal of a comprehensive peace deal by the end of 2008, a pledge to continue negotiations made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to the Quartet in a November 2008 meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, is a testament to the success of the Annapolis process, Rice said, “to build peace both from the top down and from the bottom up.”

“This is the first time in almost a decade that Palestinians and Israelis are addressing all of the core issues in a comprehensive way to try to get to a solution. If that process takes a little bit longer, so be it,” Rice said.

In addition to the talks, more than $200 million in international aid for the Palestinian Authority, Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation in the West Bank city of Jenin and the performance of Palestinian security forces recently deployed to Hebron are further positive indicators, said Rice. She also urged further Israeli efforts to curb illegal settlement activity and continued Palestinian focus on reforms.

“Progress is being made, but it is incomplete, and sustained political will, as well as international support, is required,” Rice said.

In a statement issued following the meeting, the Quartet declared the Annapolis process “irreversible,” and said it should be intensified to establish a Palestinian state as soon as possible. That message was reinforced by the U.N. Security Council December 16 in a 14–0 vote on a resolution co-sponsored by the United States and Russia that expresses continued support for the peace process.

President Bush will welcome Palestinian Authority President Abbas to the White House on December 19, where the two leaders will assess progress toward peace, including efforts to build capable Palestinian institutions, foster economic development and train and deploy Palestinian security forces in the West Bank, according to a December 16 White House press release.

The full text of the Quartet statement is available from America.gov.