(Free Press-Maine) Christine Parrish - Former U.S. Middle East envoy Sen. George Mitchell spoke at the University of Maine in Belfast last week, saying, "The Israeli leaders agreed to halt new housing in the West Bank for 10 months. It was much less than what we asked for but more than anyone else had done. The Palestinians rejected it as worse than useless. They were strongly opposed to it. Then nine months on, there were negotiations for a couple of weeks that were discontinued by the Palestinians on the grounds that Israel wouldn't continue the settlement freeze. What had been less than worthless a few months earlier became indispensable to continue negotiations." The Palestinians will not get 100% of what they want. It is not attainable, he said. The question is: will they negotiate to get a stake in their future or continue to fight for a past that is out of reach?
2011-11-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive