Is the Peace Process Irreversible? (Jerusalem Post, ISRAEL)

Lame duck Israeli and US leaders are making a serious effort these days to ensure that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process enters an irreversible track before they leave office. Palestinian negotiators are also trying to put on the record the latest that the talks have accomplished.

This irreversible train left office in September shortly after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert resigned due to the police investigation. Olmert, who has continued as caretaker prime minister surprised the Israeli public by stating publicly that the ultimate solution of this conflict will require a return to the 1967 borders and will have to include giving up parts of Jerusalem.

The US President George W. Bush, who has failed to accomplish his declared goal of reaching an agreement on an independent state before the end of his term, has decided instead to institutionalize his position in the UN. After five years of the US refusing to allow the Security Council in the conflict, it has cosponsored with Russia a resolution documenting the position of the international community. A resolution supporting the Annapolis process was approved with 14 votes and the abstention of Libya, even though it failed to speak about illegal Jewish settlements.

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