|
Trending Topics
|
Progress Made with U.S. on Disengagement Plan
(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - Israel's request that the U.S. formally reject the Palestinian demand for refugee repatriation in exchange for disengagement is likely to be finessed by a U.S. declaration for two states - one Jewish, and one Palestinian - in line with similar comments made by Bush in his Aqaba speech in June 2003. Diplomatic officials said the U.S. likely will only make a commitment to further diplomatic initiatives linked to the road map, thereby ruling out U.S. support for the Geneva Accord or a re-tooled Saudi peace initiative. The U.S. is also expected to get around Israeli demands for recognition of Israeli control over the major settlement blocs of Ma'aleh Adumim, Gush Etzion, and Ariel by declaring that it does not see a final status agreement as necessarily tied to the 1967 borders. A U.S. official said the U.S. has not yet agreed to any commitments.