Annapolis will achieve little

This Middle East summit is a distraction that will achieve little

James Forsyth

21 November 2007

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The Annapolis Middle East summit won’t produce anything more than a commitment to hold another meeting. But the real worry is that Condoleezza Rice’s intense focus on the Israel Palestine question could distract her from more pressing matters in Iraq, Pakistan and North Korea.

It must all have been so different in their dreams. Scroll back to January 2005, the aftermath of the Iraqi elections and the beginning of President George W. Bush’s second term: if, back then, Tony Blair and Condoleezza Rice had contemplated a Middle East peace summit to be held in late November 2007, they would surely have dared to imagine a Thanksgiving Peace to match the Good Friday Agreement.

It would have been the capstone to Blair’s peacemaking efforts and a vindication for his post-9/11 closeness to President Bush. The ‘hand of history’ would have been lifted from his shoulder and replaced by the touch of greatness. The remainder of the promised full third term would have been a triumphant march to the finish line; not even Gordon Brown could have rushed the blessed peacemaker out of Downing Street.

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Julian Cox

November 23rd, 2007 2:26pm Report this comment

With her outrageous demand that Jerusalem, the one and undivided, historical capital of the Jewish homeland be divided, I sincerely hope that Condoleezza Rice is not only distracted but develops a nasty case of Attention Deficit Disorder. Who needs enemies when we have friends like her?

William Garrett

November 23rd, 2007 9:09pm Report this comment

To Julian Cox (comment) Palestine has not been a Jewish homeland for 2000 years. To assume that the Jews have a right to return and throw out the indigenous inhabitants displays racial arrogance. The Jews were treated like rubbish by Nazi Germany but now they treat the Palestinians in a like manner. For shame.

Julian Cox

November 24th, 2007 12:52pm Report this comment

William Garrett, following your argument, the English must surely give London back to the Welsh. I am talking about dividing Jerusalem into two political polities. I am not talking about the ethnic cleansing of those Arabs (and others) presently living (and voting) there. Jeruslem was never the capital of an Arab state. The comparison of Israel's behaviour toward Arabs with Nazi Germany's toward its Jews is a calumny that makes me question not only your anti-Semitic racism but the Spectator's decision to reproduce your odious views. For shame....

A. Resnick

November 26th, 2007 1:41am Report this comment

The Arab countries don't want peace with Israel, they want to destroy it. How does one enter into peace talks with a opponent who only desires your annihilation.

Alex Haver

December 2nd, 2007 2:14pm Report this comment

Mr. Alan Resnick's comment goes to show that he, most likely, hangs out w/ a wrong crowd, otherwise he would have noticed that at one time both Jordan and Egypt tried to destroy Israel. Today, however, they have solid diplomatic relations.

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