Saturday December 5, 2009

I've Been Thinking:

For those skeptical of US foreign policy in the Middle East, here is a diplomatic maneuver that should put things in perspective.

The Quartet is the driving force behind the Middle East peace process.
It is composed of Russia, the US, the EU and the UN.
The United States approached the other Quartet members and proposed that a statement of support be made concerning Israel's decision to halt settlement.
All agreed, but the drafts were left to each party to develop.

The original proposal came from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The person charged with getting everyone on board was David Hale, deputy to the President's Special Envoy, George Mitchell. Hale went to the parties with his own statement, but could not forge an agreement.

The problem is with two points that the US insists upon and that Russia will not sign off on.
# 1: that Israel is a Jewish State
# 2: that the final borders will be determined by the facts on the ground

The Russians will not budge.
Neither will the United States.

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