US: Israel, PA to resume direct talks

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Friday that Israel and the Palestinian Authority have agreed to return to the negotiating table, under US mediation.

The Obama Administration has been pushing for a speedy resumption of face-to-face negotiations that broke down in December 2008.

US special Mideast envoy George Mitchell, who joined Clinton at the special press conference announcing the breakthrough in Mideast talks, has been shuttling between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for months in a bid to get them to agree.

Resumption of the talks would mark a diplomatic victory for the White House, which has struggled to get both sides back to the bargaining table

In her statement, Clinton invited Netanyahu and Abbas to a September 2nd summit in Washington, hosted by US President Barack Obama."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3940580,00.html

Good news. :thumbsup:

[aquart]

1. Excellent.

Talking is always good. Always. Even if it gives just one child a chance to grow up.

[ceile]

2. Good news.

Mitchell is a skilled diplomat, I hope there's progress made.

[geek tragedy]

3. I'll dissent on the side of "wasted effort."

The pretense of dialogue disguises what's really going on.

[damntexdem]

4. Well, I'm glad that Israel and Pennsylvania are resuming talks.

Now, if we could just get Israel to talk with New York, we might be able to get a synagogue built just a few blocks from Ground Zero.

;-)