2. Secretary Rice and Settlements

Below are excerpts of speeches by Secretary Rice from her August trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories and excerpts from the report by Peace Now on settlement activity since Annapolis that was released during her visit. 

“…it's the position of the United States that the parties should not take steps that somehow would prejudice the final status outcome. And, in fact, the borders of the Palestinian state and Israel will be determined by agreement.  I think it's no secret, and I've said it to my Israeli counterparts, that I don't think the settlement activity is helpful to the process, that in fact, what we need now are steps that enhance confidence between the parties. And anything that undermines confidence between the parties ought to be avoided. So, we will continue to press ahead to get agreement, so that we know what is in Israel and what is in Palestine. That is ultimately the goal. But certainly the activity is not helpful…”  (With FM Tzipi Livni, August 26, 2008)

“Yes, on the settlement issue, I think I’ve made very clear the U.S. position that the settlement activity is not conducive to creating an environment for negotiations, yet negotiations go on. We continue to press the Israelis about their Roadmap obligations and to work with the Palestinians on their Roadmap obligations as well…” (With President Abbas, August 26, 2008)

 Full Trip Transcripts are available at: this website. 

 "Rice: Settlement activity hurts talks", Reuters and Efrat Weiss, August 26, 2008

“Peace Now Settlement Watch Report”, Report Summary, August 2008

Despite the Israeli government's renewed commitment during the Annapolis Summit to freeze all settlement activity, the construction has continued and almost doubled in all of the settlements and outposts on both sides of the Separation Barrier. No outpost had been evacuated, and instead, many outposts were expanded. In East Jerusalem the construction increased dramatically. It seems that the government of Israel repeats the mistakes of the past, by on the one hand negotiating an agreement with the Palestinians and in parallel constructing in the settlements. This construction undermines the Palestinian partners and creating facts on the ground that might prevent the possibility of a peace agreement…”  

3. Palestinian Economic Update: Immediate Measures Necessary; Long-Term Recovery Requires Peace

“UN Report: Palestinian Economy Could Improve If Israeli Controls Were Lifted”, Lisa Schlein, Voice of America, September 8, 2008

“A new U.N. report says lifting the Israeli closure policy and movement restrictions in Gaza and the West Bank is not enough to revive the Palestinian economy.  A study by the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development finds the Palestinian Authority must be able to set and implement its own economic development policies…The report says Palestinian policy makers must have the full range of fiscal, monetary, trade and labor policy tools available to other countries.  Without this, it says, there will be little or no chance of achieving economic recovery and sustained growth.  The report says its economic growth model will not come into fruition until peace between Israel and Palestine is achieved.  But, it says some of the measures could be formulated now and be ready for discussion when economic negotiations between the two entities begin…” 

Access the full article here.

“From Zero Sum to Win-Win”, Mara Rudman, Middle East Bulletin, September 4, 2008

“In this period of change, those focused on shoring up prospects for a secure stable future for the region, with a viable Palestinian state existing alongside a continued democratic Jewish state of Israel, must redouble time, energy and focus on those working on concrete practical measures to build and grow the Palestinian economy, and not in the West Bank alone.  This must be done with clear eyes on law and order issues paramount for Palestinians and Israelis alike; critical for the functioning of any stable society; successful business and investment culture; and secure environment…we must focus on economic efforts that will help Palestinian businesses and simultaneously benefit Israeli and Palestinian security; recognizing that these equations need not be zero-sum…” 

4. Regional Issues: Israel-Syria and Iran Developments

“Syria makes peace proposal to Israel”, Zeina Karam, Associated Press, September 4, 2008

 “Syria's leader said Thursday he offered a proposal for peace with Israel but also refused to break off ties with Hezbollah and militant Palestinians — a key Israeli demand.  President Bashar Assad also said indirect negotiations with Israel were on hold until that country chooses a new prime minister and that direct talks would have to wait until a new U.S. president takes office.  Assad's comments came after meetings with France's leader and regional mediators in talks focusing on Mideast peace and Iran's nuclear program. France hopes that warmer relations with Syria, Iran's ally, could help the West in its efforts to persuade Iran to curb its nuclear program.  Assad said his proposal for Israel was intended to serve as a basis for direct talks. He said he would wait for a similar document laying out Israel's positions before any face-to-face talks. So far, negotiations between the two foes have been held indirectly through Turkish mediators…” 

Access the full article here.

 “America's Role in Israel-Syria Talks”, Policy Paper, Israel Policy Forum, July 2008

“For Jerusalem Palestinians, Home Not Always Home”, Karin Laub, Associated Press, August 2, 2008

“Like her father before her, Zeina Ashrawi was born in Jerusalem. Her mother represented the city in the Palestinian parliament for 10 years.  But now the 27-year-old has been told Jerusalem is not her home.  Israel revoked her Jerusalem residency because she obtained a U.S. green card — giving her residence in the United States. So, for a summer trip home from the U.S. to show off 10-month-old son Majd to his grandparents, Ashrawi was only granted a 30-day tourist visa…Ashrawi, whose mother Hanan is a well-known advocate of peace with Israel, is among a growing number of Palestinians — some 4,000 since 2004 — who have been stripped of their right to live in Jerusalem, a city whose future is a core question in settling the decades-old conflict over the Holy Land…” 

Access the full article here.

6. Holy Land Christian Update: Message from New Jerusalem Latin Patriarch

“New Jerusalem patriarch says Holy Land Christians can be a bridge for peace”, Richard Szczepanowski, Catholic Standard, August 13, 2008

 “If Palestinian Christians are supported and encouraged to remain in the Holy Land, they can serve as peacemakers in that troubled region, the recently installed Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said Aug. 11.  Speaking at a luncheon in his honor sponsored by the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF), and later to the Catholic Standard, Patriarch Fouad Twal said Christians ‘can be the bridge between the Jewish and Muslim majorities.’…‘What was once a sizable Christian community has been greatly reduced,’ Patriarch Twal said…Christians leave the Holy Land, he said, ‘to find more dignity, work, peace. I wish them all the best, and at the same time ask them not to forget us.’…His plan for peace, he said, would be a two-step approach.  ‘First, we must stop the exodus of Christians. We must give them more of a sense of cultural conscience and more awareness that they must be witnesses to the faith. They have a vocation to stay (in the Holy Land),’ Patriarch Twal said. ‘And, second, we must make sure they have employment and housing that will lead to trust and hope in the future.’  Patriarch Twal said that ‘now is the time to intensify action to establish an independent Palestinian state.’…” 

Access the full article here.