Rice pushes for peace progress, Israel denies hidden agenda

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

JERUSALEM - Israel isn't trying to expand Jewish housing in the West Bank to effect a land grab before an eventual military withdrawal, the country's senior diplomat said Sunday.

"I can assure you Israel has no hidden agenda," Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said.

Livni pointed to Israel's 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as proof that Jewish settlements "are not obstacles" if the government decides it has a larger aim of peace or political settlement with the Palestinians. She spoke following a meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who also met with the senior Palestinian leadership in the West Bank on Sunday, passing by red-roofed Israeli settlements as she went.

Rice emphasized that a year-end goal for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal is still achievable, even though both sides question whether the target is realistic. She spoke alongside Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has sounded increasingly pessimistic about reaching an agreement with the Israelis. Abbas accuses Israel of undermining talks by continuing to build Jewish settlements on lands the Palestinians claim for a future state, and refusing to remove hundreds of military checkpoints that dot the West Bank.

At a news conference with the Palestinian leader, Rice urged Israel not to prejudice a final deal — a reference to the settlement construction. And in unusually pointed criticism, Rice suggested the Israeli government could do more to improve life for West Bank residents.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080504/ap_on_re_mi_ea/rice

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Rice says Mideast peace deal ‘achievable’ by year’s end



Posted: 10:01 AM ET
RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) — Laying the groundwork for President Bush’s upcoming trip to the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians can be reached by the year’s end.

“This is very painstaking work … it is labor-intensive work but it is necessary work,” Rice said at a joint news conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

“We continue to believe that it is an achievable goal to have an agreement between the Palestinians and the Israelis by the end of the year and by the end of President Bush’s term.”

more:http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/04/rice-says-mideast-peace-deal-achievable-by-years-end/

[saltpoint]

1. It's a tough call to make between having a spectacularly incompetent and

underqualified Secretary of State not showing up for work (her usual M.O.) on one hand and actually SHOWING UP for work on the other, and failing to accomplish prescribed tasks.

In Condi we essentially have a Cold War-era Russia expert trying to negotiate a peace in a region of the world her boss has significantly helped destroy.

Ask me again why I'm a Democrat.

[onehandle]

2. Retire.

Your retirement boat awaits.

[Trajan]

3. Not a hidden agenda ....

But a blatant, obnoxiously overt and in-your-face agenda ....

Vive la difference' !

[ToughLuck]

4. Hidden agenda??? that is a sad joke, nothing hidden at all, unless you are willingly blind.

[bushmeister0]

5. But, but, Israel needs Lebensraum!

[hack89]

6. Is that why it gave up the Sinai and Gaza? nt

[Supersedeas]

7. more decorative language to accompany the up-coming photo-op -- as the WH Press corps fauns