Annapolis Summit News

Guide Note: November 27, 2007: A US-sponsored middle east peace summit held in Annapolis, Maryland. The goal of the conference is to produce a substantive deal on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the talks, the two sides agreed to further talks over the following year, causing many to suggest the summit was a failure.

Fast Facts:

1. General cynicism surrounds the meeting, many commentators point to the weakness of all the leaders involved in the talks
2. Key players: Ehud Olmert, George W. Bush and Mahmoud Abbas
3. Main issues: Water, Jerusalem, borders and settlements and refugees
4. US Secretary of State and organizer of the event, Condoleezza Rice, has said "critical issues" would be tackled at the summit
5. Schedule: 1400 GMT (0900 Washington time): Arrivals; 1440-1530 GMT: Closed meeting between Bush, Olmert and Abbas; 1600 GMT: Speeches by all three leaders; 1700 GMT: Three sessions on international support, economic and institutional development and regional peace; 0030 GMT: End of meeting press conference

Also try: Mahalo's Israeli-Palestinian Conflict category
Also try: Annapolis Summit Background
Also try: Israel Gaza Incursion (December 2007)

The Mahalo Top 7

1. Economist: The Annapolis summit - Not-so-great expectations  
2. Washington Post: Transcript: Olmert Addresses the Annapolis Mideast Conference (November 27, 2007)
3. BBC News: Key excerpts: Mid-East conference (November 27, 2007)
4. Guardian Unlimited: Interactive - Annapolis peace talks
5. Wikipedia: 2007 Mideast peace conference
6. Guardian Unlimited: Al-Qaida No2 attacks Annapolis peace conference (December 14, 2007)
7. YouTube: Israel, Palestinians agree to peace drive (Time 2:07)
   
   

Annapolis Summit - After the Talks

• Guardian Unlimited: Al-Qaida No2 attacks Annapolis peace conference (December 14, 2007)
• Haaretz: Poll: Most Israeli public believes Annapolis summit was a failure (November 29, 2007)
  • "Only 17 percent of the [Israeli] public believe the conference was a "success," while most - 42 percent - called it a "failure"." The Haaretz-Dialog survey sampled a representative sample of 497 people a day after the conference.
• Asia Times: Israel's nukes missing from the table (November 30, 2007)
  • "In terms Israel's nuclear weapons, Western governments and the media may have a benign perception of them as purely defensive to secure Israel against external "existential threats". But the Muslim population of the Middle East and their rulers may be excused if they conform to a vastly different perception, that Israel's nukes are evil, constantly threatening them and even blackmailing them."
• Jerusalem Post: Behind the scenes at the Annapolis summit (November 28, 2007)
• Haaretz: ANALYSIS / Fear of Iran brought Arab leaders to Annapolis meet (November 28, 2007)
• NPR: Israeli and Palestinian Leaders Develop Work Plan (November 28, 2007)
• The Lede (NYT): Q & A: Approval Ratings, Pessimism and Annapolis (November 28, 2007)
• Washington Post: David Ignatius - How Annapolis Helps (November 28, 2007)
• Times Online: Full text of the Annapolis agreement (November 27, 2007)
• Christian Science Monitor: After Annapolis, hurdles for Israeli and Palestinian leaders (November 28, 2007)
• ABC News:: Annapolis Over: What Next For Olmert? (November 29, 2007)
• BBC News: Olmert warns of 'end of Israel' (November 29, 2007)
• BBC News: Reactions to Annapolis statement

Annapolis Summit - Before the Talks

• Google News: Annapolis Summit

• Economist: Cinderella at Annapolis
  • Detailed analysis of the road to Annapolis. The key organizer of the meeting, Condoleezza Rice, whose 'increasingly frantic shuttle diplomacy' has led, according to the article, to nothing more than a photo-op.
    
• Council on Foreign Relations: Peace and Politics in Annapolis (November 26, 2007)
  • The outlook for success at the Annopolis Summit is bleak according to this article. It points to the struggle to come up with a joint statement of intent from the two sides. It also highlights weakness of Bush - soon to leave office - and Abbas whose Fatah Party was recently ousted from Gaza.
    
• Radio Netherlands Worldwide: Annapolis - a conference born of fear (November 26, 2007)
  • Again points to the weakness of the main players, Bush, Olmert and Abbas but also mentions that their weakness may turn into a desperation that may yield dividends in the process.
    
• Guardian Unlimited: Interactive - Annapolis peace talks
  • These interactive guides from Guardian Unlimited are very useful. This guide outlines the issues and supplies links to the relevant Guardian news stories.
• ABC News:: Annapolis: A View From the Middle East (November 26, 2007)
  • Again points to weakness of the leaders involved and states that "expectations about the summit have been lowered...a starting point for difficult negotiations."
    
• Washington Post: Olmert Addresses the Annapolis Mideast Conference (November 27, 2007)

Annapolis Summit Issues

• Guardian Unlimited: Interactive - Annapolis peace talks
• Jerusalem Post: Abbas aide says joint statement imminent (November 26, 2007)
• BBC News: Q&A: Annapolis meeting
• BBC News: Obstacles to peace: Jerusalem | Water | Refugees | Borders and settlements

Annapolis Summit - Saudi Attendance

• BBC News: Saudis to attend Mid-East summit (November 23, 2007)
• Time: What the Saudis Want from Annapolis (November 26, 2007)

Annapolis Summit - Bush Administration

• Guardian Unlimited: Bush tries to bridge divides ahead of summit (November 26, 2007)
• Al Jazeera: Bush Optimistic About Annapolis (November 26, 2007)
• CNN: Rice touts 'most serious' Mideast peace efforts in years (October 15, 2007)

Annapolis Summit Commentary

• BBC News: Analysis: The possibilities of Annapolis
• Jerusalem Post: Analysis: After the conference
• Al Jazeera: Focus - Short On Peace, Long On Process (November 26, 2007)
• Al Jazeera: Focus - A Footnote In History (November 26, 2007)
• Haaretz: Nine reasons Annapolis will succeed (November 26, 2007)
• Haaretz: To Annapolis - without illusions
• The Economist: Giving peace another try (October 8, 2007)
• CNN Blog - In the Field: Annapolis - Why Care?
• Economist: The Annapolis peace summit - Much to be modest about (November 29, 2007)

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