Annapolis Summit News

November 27, 2007: A U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace summit held in Annapolis, Maryland. The goal of the conference was to produce a substantive deal on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Although no landmark agreement was reached, Israeli and Palestinian officials agreed to future talks with the intention of leading towards a peace agreement. The Hamas delegation was particularly disappointed that the Summit did not result in an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian areas of the Gaza strip.

• 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

• 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)