Bush administration established as sole judge Palestinians fighting terror
By Aaron Klein
The U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., is the site of the Middle East summit this week (Photo: Carrie Devorah)
JERUSALEM – Reacting to today's Annapolis summit, there was some concern in Jerusalem regarding the role the U.S. has taken as the sole judge of whether the Israelis and Palestinians are fulfilling commitments leading up to the creation of a Palestinian state.
WND reported earlier this week in the run-up to the Annapolis summit that the U.S. already held back from Israel reports critical of the Palestinians fight against terror groups, according to informed diplomatic sources.
At the U.S.-sponsored conference, President Bush today read a joint declaration agreed to by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert committing the two to launch immediate negotiations aimed at "two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side."
The parties said they would aim to conclude an agreement before Bush leaves office next year, with Israel expected to evacuate large swaths of the West Bank, handing Abbas the strategic territory.  
The declaration also pledges Israelis and Palestinians will fulfill the U.S.-brokered "Road Map," which calls for the Palestinians to fight terrorism and create unified security forces and for Israel to stop expanding Jewish communities in the West Bank and dismantle what are termed illegal outposts, or West Bank Jewish homes built without Israeli government permission.
The Annapolis statement sets up the U.S. as the sole judge of whether the Road Map is being implemented.
"The United States will monitor and judge the fulfillment of the commitment of both sides of the Road Map. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, implementation of the future peace treaty will be subject to the implementation of the Road Map, as judged by the United States," reads the declaration.
But some senior Israeli security officials, speaking to WND, said they were concerned the U.S. may overlook Palestinian violations for fear of negotiations extending past Bush's term in office.
"The statements are very vague and leave open the good possibility America may overlook major security concerns for us in an effort to not stall negotiations," said one security official.
Israeli commentators here expressed concern as well.
Shmuel Rosner, an analyst for Israel's Haaretz daily, questioned which mechanisms the U.S. would use in judging both sides.
"This technical arrangement (of the U.S. serving as judge) is the most important practical outcome of the document. If the Americans are hasty, motivated by the desire to see the process come to completion while Bush is still in office, Israel might regret this deal," wrote Rosner.
As WND reported, at the request of the Palestinians, the U.S. held back from Israel reports critical of Abbas' purported attempts to fight terrorism in the West Bank, according to diplomatic sources familiar with the reports.
In line with understandings, the State Department and U.S. security representatives were to share their observations with Israel while the U.S. also monitors Israeli commitments and shares those observations with the Palestinians.
Fatah forces in recent weeks carried out what it called arrest operations against some gunmen in the West Bank, including members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and leaders of Fatah's declared military wing, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
According to Israeli security sources, Fatah rounded up some Brigades and PFLP members in the northern West Bank city of Nablus and transferred them to nearby Jericho, where they spent one night in a Fatah compound and then were freed but told they must stay in Jericho until after Annapolis. Most gunmen continue to receive room and board at Fatah compounds.
Several Brigades members rounded up and brought to Jericho, including a deputy commander of the terror group, last week entered U.S.-training courses for Fatah forces underway in the city. The U.S. and EU run regular training courses for Fatah militias to bolster Abbas against Hamas.
The Brigades, together with the Islamic Jihad terror group, has taken responsibility for every suicide bombing in Israel the past three years and has carried out thousands of shootings and rocket attacks against Jewish civilian population centers.
Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, U.S. security coordinator for the Palestinian territories, has been closely monitoring the actions of Fatah forces in the West Bank, particularly Nablus, a city that was to serve as a litmus test for Abbas' ability to impose law and order in the West Bank. Dayton heads the U.S. team to train and arm Fatah and was the principal architect of a U.S. plan to fund Fatah forces.
According to diplomatic sources familiar with his reports, Dayton filed largely positive reviews of the performance in recent weeks of Abbas' forces. But other State Department monitors and U.S. security coordinators wrote reviews highly critical of the U.S.-backed Fatah militias, some noting Abbas' forces carried out mostly symbolic gestures.
The diplomatic sources said the critical U.S. reports were held back from Israel at the request of Abbas' office for fear it would negatively impact negotiations leading up to this week's Annapolis summit.
To interview Aaron Klein, contact Tim Bueler Public Relations by e-mail, or call (530) 401-3285.
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'Olmert holding Israel liquidation sale'
Knesset members blast PM's Annapolis vow to evacuate territory
By Aaron Klein
JERUSALEM – Knesset members across the political spectrum slammed commitments made by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at today's U.S.-sponsored Annapolis summit.
"The things that were said at the conference are worrying and prove that the State of Israel is facing a liquidation sale," said Zevulun Orlev, chairman of the National Union party.
Orlev called on members of Olmert's governing coalition to bolt the government. Olmert's Kadima party is held together by alliances with the leftist Labor, religious Shas and Russian Yisroel Beitenu parties.
At Annapolis today Olmert committed to negotiations aimed at creating a Palestinian state on the ground before President Bush leaves office in January 2009. He alluded to evacuating most of the strategic West Bank, which borders Jerusalem and is within rocket range of Tel Aviv and Israel's international airport. Israel liberated the West Bank in the 1967 Six Day War.
"The negotiations will address all of the issues which we have thus far avoided dealing with," said Olmert. "I am convinced that the reality that emerged in our region in 1967 will change significantly. I know this. Many of my people know this. We are prepared for it."
Hamas officials, including the terror group's chief in Gaza, repeatedly warned they would take over the West Bank if Israel hands the territory to Abbas.
Eli Yishai, head of Shas, Olmert's coalition partner, downplayed the significance of Annapolis.
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He said Olmert expressed "dreams" out of touch with reality since Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is incapable of establishing law and order.
"Until now the Palestinian leadership has failed to implement the first phase of the Road Map – the dismantling of terror organizations. I support peace with a real partner, but now we are dealing with a virtual one," said Yishai.
Knesset Member Benny Elon suggested Annapolis was irrelevant, stating "peace is not made at cocktail parties."
He called Annapolis a "film detached from reality, whose ending we have already seen."
Danny Dayan, spokesman for the Yesha Council, a coalition of West Bank Jewish communities, also blasted Annapolis, calling it a "transparent" attempt to bring negotiations to secure Bush a Nobel Peace Prize.
Multiple recent polls here have shown the majority of Israelis are opposed to handing the West Bank to Abbas.
A survey sponsored last week by the Israel Policy Center for Promoting Parliamentary Democracy and Jewish Values in Israeli Public Life found 61 percent of the general Israeli public opposes a withdrawal from most of the West Bank and handing the strategic territory to the Palestinians.
Seventy-seven percent of Israelis polled said they believe Abbas lacked the power to prevent attacks from the West Bank.
If Israel indeed evacuated the West Bank, some 55 percent of Israelis believe Palestinians will use the territory to fire rockets into Jewish population centers, and 65 percent believe there is a high or very high chance Hamas would take control of the area, according to the new poll.
Some 55 percent of Israelis believe the Knesset should remove Olmert from office due to multiple criminal investigations against him charging various degrees of financial and political corruption.
Also, 53 percent of Israelis said they believe the main reason Olmert was seeking an accord with the Palestinians was because of concern for his political future and not Israel's national interests.
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