U.S. envoys to visit region in last-ditch effort to avert Palestinian statehood bid

[Poll_Blind]

From Haartez:

Senior U.S. envoys will visit the Middle East this week to try to revive peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians and avert a Palestinian bid for UN membership, he United States said on Tuesday.

The mission by U.S. Middle East peace envoy David Hale and senior White House aide Dennis Ross appears to be a last-ditch push to dissuade the Palestinians from seeking to upgrade their UN status this month, a step Israel strongly opposes.

The United States and Israel believe the Palestinians should try to establish a state through direct peace talk, which broke down nearly a year ago, and they that action at the United Nations will make it harder to resume negotiations.

"The only way of getting a lasting solution is through direct negotiations between the parties and the route to that lies in Jerusalem and in Ramallah, not in New York," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters.

More at the link!

PB

[MadHound]

1. Screw what the US wants,

The Palestinians need their own state.

[hifiguy]

2. + one million!!!

IBTL

[hack89]

4. It won't solve any real problems

they still have to negotiate borders, ROR and Jerusalem. If they are walking away from the established international negotiating framework, just how will those problems be solved?

There is a real danger here for the Palestinian. Hamas has already said they oppose this move - if statehood means internecine violence, then all it may demonstrate to the world is just how unready the Palestinians are for statehood.

[frebrd]

5. +1

[Fumesucker]

3. Hmm.. We bomb Qaddaffi in order to liberate the Libyan people...

While at the same time blocking the bid of the Palestinians to get some official recognition.

It's really a shame that hypocrisy isn't painful, this world would be a much better place.

[riverwalker]

6. Dennis Ross is the problem

"Mr. Ross demonstrated his growing influence last October, when the administration was pressing Mr. Netanyahu to agree to a three-month extension of his moratorium on settlement construction. Mr. Netanyahu balked.

So Mr. Ross devised a generous package of incentives for Israel that included 20 American fighter jets, other security guarantees, and an American pledge to oppose United Nations resolutions on Palestinian statehood. Many Middle East analysts expressed surprise that the administration would offer so much to Israel in return for a one-time, 90-day extension of a freeze."
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/21/world/middleeast/21ross.html?pagewanted=all