http://middeast.com Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:11:20 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en A year ago, almost no-one believed the war in Iraq could be won. American voters, tired of spending blood and treasure on a conflict that seemed to have no end in sight, handed George W. Bush's Republicans a crushing defeat in mid-term elections. In Washington, Republican lawmakers and ... http://middeast.com/uncategorized/iraq-a-surge-of-optimism/ This week's Middle East Peace Conference in Annapolis, Maryland, doesn't seem to have changed perceptions among the Israelis or Palestinians. Both sides remain divided over whether the conference will lead to anything. http://middeast.com/uncategorized/israelis-palestinians-doubt-peace-talks/ HEBRON, West Bank - Palestinian police loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas fired automatic weapons and beat marchers with clubs during a funeral procession Wednesday for a man killed while protesting this week's U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference. The chaos threatened to undermine Abbas' standing in the West ... http://middeast.com/uncategorized/palestinian-police-clash-with-protesters-ap/ JERUSALEM - If Israelis and Palestinians have any hope of achieving their stated goal of signing a final peace treaty within a year, they may have to slice Jerusalem in half with a wall, come up with $85 billion for Palestinian refugees and figure out how to wrest ... http://middeast.com/uncategorized/jerusalem-refugees-hinder-mideast-peace-ap/ UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Dutch diplomat Robert Serry is expected to be named as next U.N. Middle East envoy, a post that has been vacant for three months, U.N. diplomats said on Wednesday. Senior envoys from two countries, who asked not to be identified because no ... http://middeast.com/uncategorized/dutch-diplomat-seen-as-next-un-mideast-envoy-reuters/ TEHRAN, Iran - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday the U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference was a "failure" and that Israel is doomed to "collapse." He also suggested it was a mistake for his closest Arab ally, Syria, to participate. The comments were the first time in months ... http://middeast.com/uncategorized/iranian-president-annapolis-a-failure-ap/ Robert Siegel talks with Martin Indyk and Ghaith al-Omari of the American Task Force on Palestine and the New American Foundation about what was accomplished during this week's Middle East Peace talks in Annapolis, and what likely lies ahead. http://middeast.com/uncategorized/what-lies-ahead-after-annapolis-talks/ President Bush met Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House. The meeting comes one day after the three leaders announced their goal of crafting a peace treaty by the end of 2008. http://middeast.com/uncategorized/mideast-leaders-meet-at-white-house/ President Bush invited the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to the White House to formally inaugurate the first direct negotiations in seven years between the two sides. The president told a conference in Annapolis, Md., on Tuesday that the two sides have agreed to meet regularly and make every effort to ... http://middeast.com/uncategorized/israeli-and-palestinian-leaders-develop-work-plan/ President Bush pledged Wednesday that the United States will be actively involved in upcoming peace talks by Israeli and Palestinian leaders. During a Rose Garden ceremony, Bush praised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for agreeing to work toward a peace settlement by the end ... http://middeast.com/uncategorized/bush-promises-us-involvement-in-peace-process/