Mixed Signals for Israeli-Palestine Peace Conference

Condoleezza Rice arrives in Ramallah tomorrow amidst renewed controversy stemming from the scheduled Isreali-Palestine peace conference this November. Rice is expected to meet with Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss “the agenda of the fall peace conference.” Prime Minister Omert’s recent statement that Israel and Palestine will submit a non-binding joint declaration, instead of the planned Agreement of Principles evoked expressions of disdain towards the conference and Israel by Palestinian leadership. Like Palestine, many Arab leaders reject a non-binding agreement for fear that Omert, similar to his predecessors, will not stick to an agreement on a withdrawal from the occupied territories. Hopefully Rice will be able to push for some sort of agreement between Israel and Palestine so as to not postpone the much-needed peace conference into the next year.