Obama weighs new peace plan for the Middle East

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/06/AR2010040602663.html

Obama weighs new peace plan for the Middle East

By David Ignatius
Wednesday, April 7, 2010


Despite recent turbulence in U.S. relations with Israel, President Obama is "seriously considering" proposing an American peace plan to resolve the Palestinian conflict, according to two top administration officials.

"Everyone knows the basic outlines of a peace deal," said one of the senior officials, citing the agreement that was nearly reached at Camp David in 2000 and in subsequent negotiations. He said that an American plan, if launched, would build upon past progress on such issues as borders, the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees and the status of Jerusalem. The second senior official said that "90 percent of the map would look the same" as what has been agreed in previous bargaining.

snip//

Obama's embrace of a peace plan would reverse the administration's initial strategy, which was to try to coax concessions from the Israelis and Palestinians, with the United States offering "bridging proposals" later. This step-by-step process was favored by George Mitchell, the president's special representative for the Middle East, who believed a similar approach had laid the groundwork for his breakthrough in Northern Ireland peace talks.

The fact that Obama is weighing the peace plan marks his growing confidence in Jones, who has been considering this approach for the past year. But the real strategist in chief is Obama himself. If he decides to launch a peace plan, it would mark a return to the ambitious themes the president sounded in his June 2009 speech in Cairo.

A political battle royal is likely to begin soon, with Israeli officials and their supporters in the United States protesting what they fear would be an American attempt to impose a settlement and arguing to focus instead on Iran. The White House rejoinder is expressed this way by one of the senior officials: "It's not either Iran or the Middle East peace process. You have to do both."

[Clio the Leo]

1. I dont know that I'd call it a "return" but still....

... kick!

[jenmito]

2. He can do it! K&R. n/t

[ClarkUSA]

3. Does this President ever rest? He's the hardest-working president ever.

I am getting tired just reading up on all he's doing.

[SpartanDem]

4. This is the best route

we can't just wait for them to go back to the neogiating table on their own.

[IndianaGreen]

5. And who are Obama's partners for peace in the Middle East?

Bibi? He already said no to Obama. Abbas? He is pissed at Bibi. Hamas? They are pissed at Bibi and Abbas.

[Kdillard]

6. This would be a good move. k and r.