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1. Next Steps: Crucial Time Requires Progress Toward Peace

2. Latest in Mideast Diplomacy: Secretary Rice’s Trip & Arab-Israeli Overtures

3. United Nations Redux: Key Speeches & Statements

4. Jerusalem News

5. Focus on Holy Land Christians

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1. Next Steps: Crucial Time Requires Progress toward peace

This last month, following the Hezbollah-Israel war, has brought new evaluation and attention to how best address the Israeli-Arab conflict. Though news reports of President Bush’s speech at the UN General Assembly did not focus on it, he placed special emphasis on the need for peace in the Holy Land. At the request of the Arab League, the Security Council met and the Middle East Quartet released a new statement stressing, “the urgent need to make progress towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East”.  There is new interest in Saudi Arabia’s leadership and the Arab Peace plan of 2002.  There are even indications of a possible Syria-Israel thaw, although US support for new talks is lacking.  Secretary Rice began a new diplomatic effort to engage moderate Arab leaders to “support Israeli and Palestinian leaders in their efforts to come together to resolve their differences”.  Her trip to the region revived efforts to address the Palestinian economic and security situation, but no significant diplomatic breakthroughs occurred.  At the same time, 135 global leaders signed a statement, organized by the International Crisis Group, urging action “Towards a Comprehensive Settlement of the Arab-Israeli Conflict”.  There is skepticism about the possibility for a new peace initiative given the ongoing turmoil between Fatah and Hamas and the tenuous political situation in Israel.  However, just such an initiative could help propel the two parties, and the broader region, out of an untenable situation of conflict and stalemate and back into one of dialogue and negotiation.  Below are excerpts from the International Crisis Group’s latest report as well as a 5-step plan for US Middle East policy that resulted from a recent meeting convened by the Israel Policy Forum.

“Charting a path in the Mideast", Samuel Lewis and Edward S. Walker, Boston Globe, October 5, 2006

“There are five steps the United States should take that would have significant, positive impact in the region and on US foreign policy” according to a recent discussion convened by the Israel Policy Forum, which included former US ambassadors to the Middle East, senior advisers to four US presidents, former State Department officials, and academic researchers. The five steps include: mediate a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire, focus on what the Palestinian government does and not what it says, work with the Saudi initiative, engage Syria and strengthen Lebanon's government.  “Implementation of these five points would help America take the lead in ending the violence in the Middle East.”

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/10/05/charting_a_path_in_the_mideast/

“The Arab-Israeli Conflict: To Reach a Lasting Peace", Middle East Report N°58, Executive Summary and Recommendations, International Crisis Group, October 5, 2006

“If there is a silver lining in the recent succession of catastrophic developments in the Middle East, it is that they may impart renewed momentum to the search for a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is, admittedly, a slender hope. Since the collapse of the peace process in late 2000, none of the region’s parties has displayed the requisite capacity or willingness to reach an acceptable compromise, while the international community has shown more fecklessness than resolve. But the Lebanon war must serve as a wake-up call: so long as the political roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict are not addressed, it will remain a bottomless source and pretext for repression, radicalisation and bloodletting, both in the region and beyond. Now is the time for an international push to launch a new peace initiative…”

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4427&l=1

Also See: “Global Leaders Call for Action on Arab-Israeli Settlement: Towards a Comprehensive Settlement of the Arab-Israeli Conflict”, International Crisis Group, October 4, 2006

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4424&l=1

2. latest in mideast diplomacy: secretary of state rice’s trip & arab-israeli overtures

• Secretary of State Rice in Israel and the Palestinian Territories

“Prime Minister Olmert meets with US Secretary Rice”, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, October 4, 2006

Please Note: No press conferences were held following Secretary Rice's meetings with Israeli officials.

“…Prime Minister Olmert and US Secy. of State Rice discussed Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Abu Mazen’s public remarks today that he would not return to contacts on forming a unity government and that any PA government would be obligated to accept the Quartet conditions.  Prime Minister Olmert said that he is willing to assist Abu Mazen in implementing the Roadmap and in creating a better atmosphere. The Prime Minister said that the Karni crossing would be reopened soon and added that Defense Minister Amir Peretz would discuss this with US Secy. of State Rice in detail tomorrow. However, the Prime Minister said that despite the desire to render assistance, he would not agree to the release of Palestinian prisoners before Gilad Shalit is returned to Israel since such a release would embolden Hamas to increase its demands for returning Gilad.  Prime Minister Olmert and US Secy. of State Rice discussed the issue of tax revenues. The former said that Israel would present ideas on humanitarian assistance, such as aid to hospitals, medicines, etc. The Prime Minister noted that he and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair had discussed various ideas for improving the Palestinians’ quality of life but added that while Israel had an interest in this issue, it would not be correct for Israel to take the lead in its regard…”

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2006/PM+Olmert+meets+with+US+Secy+Rice+4-Oct-2006.htm

 “Secretary Condoleezza Rice’s Remarks With Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas After Their Meeting”, Ramallah, West Bank, October 4, 2006

PRESIDENT ABBAS:…We discussed the issue of forming a national unity government, and we addressed the issue of how talks on the national unity government have been disrupted, and today we say that any government to be formed has to be fully committed to all the commitments of the Palestinian Authority towards the Arab world and to the international community and has to honor all kinds of agreements that were signed in the past between the PA and the Arab parties.  Up to this moment, there are no indications that these conditions are going to be me…”

SECRETARY RICE:  “…I had a chance to brief [President Bush] on the fact that we met last night in the GCC+2 and that much of the conversation was about how to support the Palestinian people in this time of considerable difficulty, how to support President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority, and how to create the conditions in which the Palestinian people can be served by the kind of government that the President talked about in his United Nations speech, a government that is able to deliver for the needs of the Palestinian people, that observes the Quartet principles and that can form the basis then for movement forward on what we all desire, especially President Bush, and that is a two-state solution, a solution in which a democratic Palestine and a democratic Israel can live side by side in peace…I told the President that we are very concerned, of course, about the humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territories, about the economic situation…And I said to him that we would double our -- redouble our efforts to improve the conditions of the Palestinian people…We talked also about the security situation, the need to improve the security forces, the President's -- of the Palestinian Authority.  And of course, as the President said, we understand that some of the economic hardships are of course caused by the lack of mobility, the lack of movement and access, and I will of course see what I can do to make sure that some of those crossings are indeed open longer and more frequently so that economic activity can return…President Bush when he met with [President Abbas] restated again his strong commitment to a process by which Palestinians and Israelis can move forward to the day when there are two states.  We know we have a lot of work to do in between, but you have the strong commitment of the United States to that cause and the personal commitment of me and the personal commitment of the President.”

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2006/73576.htm

• Secretary Rice in Saudi Arabia & Saudi Arabian Efforts in the US to Reinvigorate Peace Plan

“Secretary Condoleezza Rice’s Remarks With Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal”, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, October 3, 2006

“…We have had a very extensive discussion of the situation in the Palestinian territories and the desire to find a way for the Palestinians to resolve their political crisis so that we might have progress again toward a two-state solution as envisioned by President Bush and, in fact, as envisioned in the Arab Initiative and which was once the Crown Prince Initiative, the initiative of then Crown Prince Abdullah…”

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2006/73472.htm

“Prince Turki al-Faisal, the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Speaks at CSIS”, Washington, DC, October 4, 2006

“Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, spoke at a Statesmen's Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The ambassador addressed several issues regarding the U.S.-Saudi relationship, including Saudi Arabia's role in OPEC, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reform within the kingdom, and the perception of the United States in the Middle East.”

http://www.csis.org/images/stories/press/061004_faisal_transcript.pdf

“Saudis in Quiet Talks To Revive Arab Peace Bid: Riyadh’s Envoy Lobbies U.S. Jews As Israeli Leaders Warm to Effort”, Marc Perelman, Forward, September 29, 2006

http://www.forward.com/articles/saudis-in-quiet-talks-to-revive-arab-peace-bid/

• Secretary Rice in Egypt

“Secretary Condoleezza Rice’s Remarks With Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit After Their Meeting”, Cairo, Egypt, October 3, 2006

“…We discussed the situation in the Palestinian territories. And as Ahmed has said, we have expressed our great concern for the violence there and for the innocent Palestinians who are caught in the crossfire.  I was very pleased to hear a broad discussion of the challenges facing the Palestinians and ideas as to how we might support Mahmoud Abbas…The Palestinians need a government that can represent the interest of the Palestinian people and that can be committed to their well being, and it needs a government that can engage the international community, and that will have to be a government that, of course, is in accordance with the broad consensus in the region that a two-state solution is the answer to the desires of both Palestinians and Israelis…”

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2006/73525.htm

• Israel-Syrian Murmurings: Absent US

Some overtures have been made over the last month by Israel and Syria, with an interview by Syrian President Bashar Assad, conveying his desire for Middle East peace talks and various statements by Israeli leaders such as Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter also expressing interest in possible engagement.  However, it has been reported, most recently in the Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, that the US does not support such diplomatic engagement and "that the United States would not take kindly to reopening a dialogue between Israel and Syria."

“Assad: Peace talks with Israel could be completed in 6 months”, Yoav Stern, Haaretz, October 2, 2006

“Syrian President Bashar Assad said he believes that if peace talks with Israel were to resume from where they left off, they could be concluded within as little as six months, according to an interview published yesterday.  In an interview with Spain's El Pais newspaper, Assad reiterated his desire to conduct peace negotiations with Israel, and expressed his belief that Middle East peace talks should be revived. An ‘encompassing and just’ peace agreement would serve as a permanent solution to the area's recurring problems, he said…”

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/769506.html

“Peretz: Don’t close door on Syria”, Ilan Marciano, Ynet News, September 26, 2006

”Defense minister says 'We'll prepare for any threats, but if we believe Syria's comments regarding peace are genuine, then I suggest we take them seriously…”

http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3308213,00.html

3. united nations redux: key speeches and statements

“President Bush Addresses United Nations General Assembly”, United Nations, New York, New York, September 19, 2006

“…The world must also stand up for peace in the Holy Land. I'm committed to two democratic states -- Israel and Palestine -- living side-by-side in peace and security. I'm committed to a Palestinian state that has territorial integrity and will live peacefully with the Jewish state of Israel. This is the vision set forth in the road map -- and helping the parties reach this goal is one of the great objectives of my presidency. The Palestinian people have suffered from decades of corruption and violence and the daily humiliation of occupation. Israeli citizens have endured brutal acts of terrorism and constant fear of attack since the birth of their nation. Many brave men and women have made the commitment to peace. Yet extremists in the region are stirring up hatred and trying to prevent these moderate voices from prevailing. This struggle is unfolding in the Palestinian territories. Earlier this year, the Palestinian people voted in a free election. The leaders of Hamas campaigned on a platform of ending corruption and improving the lives of the Palestinian people, and they prevailed. The world is waiting to see whether the Hamas government will follow through on its promises, or pursue an extremist agenda…President Abbas is committed to peace, and to his people's aspirations for a state of their own. Prime Minister Olmert is committed to peace, and has said he intends to meet with President Abbas to make real progress on the outstanding issues between them. I believe peace can be achieved, and that a democratic Palestinian state is possible. I hear from leaders in the region who want to help. I've directed Secretary of State Rice to lead a diplomatic effort to engage moderate leaders across the region, to help the Palestinians reform their security services, and support Israeli and Palestinian leaders in their efforts to come together to resolve their differences…I'm optimistic that by supporting the forces of democracy and moderation, we can help Israelis and Palestinians build a more hopeful future and achieve the peace in a Holy Land we all want…”

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/09/print/20060919-4.html

“Address by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to the UN General Assembly”, United Nations, September 20, 2006

 “…We do not believe that Israeli-Palestinian relations are, of necessity, a zero sum game. Not every Israeli interest is at odds with Palestinian interests.  There is, in fact, a common vision that binds Israelis, moderate Palestinians and the international community together. It serves the goals of both peoples and represents the basis of a genuine and lasting peace.   At its heart, is the vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. Israel believes in this vision, and from this vision we have drawn our principles for peace.  The first is inherent in the very idea of two states. For the Jewish people, Israel was established to be our national homeland…And this is the true calling of the future state of Palestine: a national homeland for the Palestinian people - the solution to Palestinian claims, the fulfillment of Palestinian dreams, the answer for Palestinian refugees….The second principle for peace is drawn from the concept of living in peace and security…It is for this reason that the international community has demanded that any Palestinian government fulfill three basic conditions: renounce terrorism, recognize Israel’s right to exist, and accept existing Israeli-Palestinian agreements…An end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will also require agreement on a common boundary. There are those who believe that if only we could turn back the hands of time to 1967 all would be resolved. But, in 1967, there was no Palestinian state, there was no link between the West Bank and Gaza, and there was no commitment to lasting peace.  A two-state solution requires the creation of a new reality, which never existed in the past…Unfortunately, the Palestinian Authority is dominated today by a terrorist organization that teaches children to hate and seeks to transform the conflict from a resolvable political dispute into an endless religious confrontation…In a Middle East where being moderate is often the same as being weak, our challenge is to empower the peacemakers and disempower their opponents…it is in this spirit that I met with Chairman Abbas two days ago and we agreed to re-energize the dialogue between us, and create a permanent channel to pursue ways to advance together….”

http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/israel-e.pdf

“Statement by H.E. Mahmoud Abbas before the 61^st session of the United Nations General Assembly”, United Nations, September 21, 2006

“…I need not to reconfirm the fact that without resolving the question of Palestine, and the continuation of the occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands since 1967, the elements of tension and conflagration, will keep the conflict alive, and will keep the door wide open to all forms of violence, terrorism, regional confrontations and global crises.  It is unfortunate today to see that international plans and initiatives, foremost amongst it the Road Map, which was endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, have reached a sate of stagnation and even regression…The whole international community, particularly influential powers, is called upon to provide tangible evidence that they will support the unconditional resumption of negotiations…This will provide the positive atmosphere for…reaching their objectives in achieving a just peace based on the two-state solution as called for by President of the United States of America, George Bush.  Such a solution must be based on international legitimacy which was upheld in the Arab Peace Initiative through the establishment of the independent State of Palestine on the June 4^th, 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, and reaching a just and agreed upon solution for the problem of the refugees…in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194…I have recently sought, in tandem with all the strands of the Palestinian political spectrum, to establish a government of national unity that is consistent with international and Arab legitimacy and that corresponds to the principles established by the Quartet.  Therefore, and based on our commitment to these criteria, I would like to reaffirm that any future Palestinian government will commit to all the agreements that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian National Authority have committed to, particularly the Letters of Mutual Recognition exchanged between the two great late leaders Yasser Arafat and Itzhak Rabin on September 9^th, 1993.  These letters contain commitment to negotiations as the path towards reaching a permanent solution that will lead to the establishment of the independent State of Palestinian alongside the State of Israel…”

http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/palestine-e.pdf

“Middle East Quartet Statement”, United Nations Secretary General, September 20, 2006

“…the Quartet stressed the urgent need to make progress towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.  The Quartet expressed its concern at the grave crisis in Gaza and the continued stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians.  The Quartet welcomed the efforts of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to form a Government of National Unity, in the hope that the platform of such a Government would reflect Quartet principles and allow for early engagement.  The Quartet underlined the urgent need for the parties to implement fully all aspects of the Agreement on Movement and Access.  Accordingly, Rafah and all other passages should remain open, consistent with relevant agreements…The Quartet noted that the resumption of transfers of tax and customs revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinian Authority would have a significant impact on the Palestinian economy.  The Quartet encouraged Israel and the Palestinian Authority to consider resumption of such transfers via the Temporary International Mechanism to improve the economic and humanitarian conditions in the West Bank and Gaza…The Quartet reaffirmed its commitment to the ‘Road Map’ as the means to realize the goal of two democratic States -- Israel and Palestine -- living side by side in peace and security.  The Quartet stressed the need for a credible political process in order to make progress towards a two-State solution through dialogue and parallel implementation of obligations.  In this context, the Quartet welcomed the prospect of a meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Abbas in the near future…”

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sg2116.doc.htm

“Time Has Come to Rebuild ‘Shattered Bridge to Peace’ in Middle East, Says Secretary-General as Security Council Debates Situation in Region”, Security Council, 5530th Meeting (PM), September 21, 2006

“Speakers in Meeting Requested by Arab League Stress Need To Renew Commitment to Negotiations under Quartet Principles: With the world’s attention fixed on the Middle East, the time had come to rebuild the shattered bridge to peace in that region, Secretary-General Kofi Annan told a ministerial-level meeting of the Security Council convened today at the request of the League of Arab States…”

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sc8836.doc.htm

4. Jerusalem news

Jerusalem has once again been in the news.  Some of the recent developments challenge the city’s fragile status, while one initiative struggles to bring Israelis and Palestinians together in a city which often belies its name, “city of peace”.  Churches for Middle East Peace has long promoted the sharing of Jerusalem by the two peoples and the three faiths as the capital of two states as the best way to resolve the various religious and national claims on the city and ensure that it maintains its multi-cultural character.

• Initiative Promotes Cooperation in the Holy City

“Technology project crosses Jerusalem’s divide”, Sharmila Devi, Financial Times, October 1, 2006

“The city of Jerusalem is, more than ever, associated with ethnic strife. But just next to the Old City’s walls, practically on the line that used to divide Jerusalem, a group of Israelis and Palestinians is busy planning a hi-tech future.  The Middle East Education Through Technology (Meet) project was set up in 2003 to bring together Israeli and Palestinian high school youths, with the help of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology…”

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/c5adbd62-5161-11db-b736-0000779e2340.html

• New Settlement Expansion in the Jerusalem Area: The Impact on Palestinians and Israeli and US interests

Building Nowhereland, Gershom Gorenberg, Washington Post, October 1, 2006

”Jerusalem -- Out on Highway 60, the bulldozers are at work.  Next to the road that leads south from Jerusalem to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the big yellow machines are scraping the earth, carving a flat, white, dusty shoulder.  Along that strip, a high concrete wall is already being built, part of the newest segment of Israel's ‘separation fence.’ The planned route loops around the cluster of settlements known as the Etzion Bloc, putting them on the Israeli side of the de facto border.  Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy is stalled. The bulldozers are not. Once again they are changing the face of the land in a way that makes life far more difficult for Palestinians while damaging Israel's own long-term interests…”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092901439.html

War Turns the Tide For Israeli Settlers, Scott Wilson, Washington Post, September 25, 2006

“…Olmert has this month alone advertised for bids to build 854 new housing units in West Bank settlements, most of them in the large blocs he intends to keep. The construction runs counter to the U.S.-backed peace blueprint known as the ‘road map,’ which Olmert says he supports as the best way to reach an agreement with the Palestinians.  In addition to the new housing, a large Israeli police headquarters has been nearly completed on a parcel of land east of Jerusalem where the Bush administration has long opposed any Israeli construction. Senior U.S. officials have warned that building in the so-called E-1 area would cut off the southern West Bank from economic centers in the north and further complicate the creation of a coherent Palestinian state.  ‘No settlement will be dismantled until we get legitimacy for the settlement blocs,’ said Otniel Schneller, a Kadima lawmaker and settler involved in planning the West Bank withdrawal. ‘The Americans' lack of flexibility is now causing this stalemate. If they would say yes to the settlement blocs, then there would be areas that we could develop and other areas we could not…Stewart Tuttle, spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, said the United States does not have ‘a separate policy for this or that settlement, or this or that area. Our policy is the same across the board. Israel, like the Palestinians, has obligations under the road map. Israel's is to cease settlement activity and dismantle illegal outposts’…”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/24/AR2006092400757.html

5. Focus on holy land christians

Following Pope Benedict XVI’s recent remarks related to Islam, several churches in the West Bank and Gaza were attacked.  No loss of life was reported but some churches sustained serious damage.  In the aftermath of these attacks, condemnations were issued from Muslim and Palestinian Authority leaders as well as civil society organizations.  An article by Dr. Bernard Sabella, a Roman Catholic sociologist and expert on Palestinian Christians, details the way in which Christians and Muslims came together following the outbreak of violence.  A press release by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights included below condemns the attacks and contains a comprehensive report on the churches' damage.

“Palestinians Together Against Church Attacks”, Dr. Bernard Sabella, Jerusalem, September 25, 2006

“…the reality on the ground says that those who attacked the churches are peripheral and marginal groups as demonstrated by the massive condemnation of the attacks that poured forth from the top of the body politic to Moslem religious institutions and personalities, starting with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories who unequivocally stressed that these attacks go counter to the spirit and teachings of Islam and are contrary to the traditions of openness and oneness that characterize our Palestinian people, Moslems and Christians alike.  In Nablus, members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and hundreds of Moslems from the city and surrounding areas, including political and municipal figures and civil society leaders, congregated in the Churches till the late evening hours on Sunday September 17^th to express their solidarity with the Christian community of Nablus and to send a clear message to the perpetrators of the attacks that they are there to protect the churches and to fend for their Christian brothers and sisters…The reactions across the religious, political, civil society and among average Palestinians to the attacks on the churches merit positive examination since they reaffirm that Palestinian Christians and Moslems are together. We need to reemphasize that the struggle ahead is one of ensuring that an end to Israeli occupation will take place, that a viable and physically contiguous Palestinian state will come into being and that the issues of poverty, inequality, unemployment and security chaos are the real issues that need to be addressed. The road ahead calls for our stand together in order to achieve our goals of peace, justice and stability to our people and to our future generations.”

http://cmep.org/documents/Palestinians_Together_Against_Church_Attacks.htm

“PCHR Condemns Attacks on Palestinian Churches”, Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, September 17, 2006

In a press release, the PCHR “strongly [condemned] the series of attacks launched on a number of churches in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), following a statement by Pope Benedict XVI lately reported by the media. This statement has been met by criticism all over the Islamic World. PCHR believes that such attacks on churches is an extension of the state if security chaos in the OPT, which requires the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to intervene to stop them.”  The press release went on to detail attacks on 6 churches in Gaza City, Nablus, Tulkarm and Tubas.

http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/PressR/English/2006/108-2006.htm

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The views expressed by the authors of the items included do not necessarily reflect those of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP).  CMEP is a coalition of 21 Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant church bodies and organizations that work together in pursuit of a peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict where two viable states, Israel and Palestine, live side-by-side within secure and recognized borders.