Almost Certain Palestinians Not Going to Annapolis-Don't Want to waste time

Guess who is not coming to dinner. The Palestinians are now saying that they aren't going to the Annapolis Conference---of course blaming it all on Israel--saying that they don't want to waste more time. Of course it has nothing to do with the fact the Palestinians have made inflexible demands backing Israel into a corner--including asking for the Temple Mount AND the Kotel--this hopefully gives Israel a bit more time to get a new govt. before Olmert gives everything away.

Palestinians won't attend Annapolis
Khaled Abu Toameh , THE JERUSALEM POST
Oct. 17, 2007

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday told visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the Palestinians won't go to the Annapolis conference at any price.

His comments came as senior PA officials said it was almost certain that the conference would be postponed because of the failure of Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to achieve progress on any of the fundamental issues such as Jerusalem, the borders and refugees.

One official described Rice's current shuttle in the Middle East as a failure, pointing out that she had failed to persuade Israel to change its "tough" position regarding Palestinian demands.

The Palestinians are demanding a comprehensive agreement with Israel on all the core issues before the conference, as well as an agreement on a timetable for implementing the agreement within a fixed period of time.

"I doubt if we will go the conference," said a top PA official. "The Americans and Israelis are not serious. We don't want to make fools out of ourselves."

"We can't waste more time," Abbas told reporters after meeting with Rice. "We can't go the conference at any price. This is unacceptable."

Abbas said that he complained to Rice about the lack of time the Israelis and Palestinians had to reach a deal ahead of the planned conference. "We must exploit every second from now and until the conference," he said.

"The most important thing we are trying to reach is a clear and specific document that will help us resume negotiations [with Israel]."

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh also sounded pessimistic about the prospects of the conference. "The gap between the two parties remains very wide," he said.

"The president made it clear to Rice that it was difficult to trust Israel and that Israel must halt its policy of assassinations, incursions, settlement construction."

Abu Rudaineh added that the Palestinian position called for clear agreement on core issues and a timetable for its implementation. "Unfortunately, Israel's refusal to commit itself to a timetable is hindering progress," he said. "Israel is not serious about reaching a deal or making the conference succeed."

Nabil Amr, a top advisor to Abbas, also criticized Israel, saying its attitude toward the planned conference remained "negative and ambiguous."

The Israeli position, he said, will have a negative impact on the conference and its participants.


The truth is that the Palestinians do not want peace...take a look at the hatred that Abbas is sending to PA living rooms...from Pamela at Atlas Shrugs Got Condi's Email Addy?