Fantasy is rapidly overtaking reality threatening to turn President George Bush's upcoming international meeting in Annapolis into a real farce - if the following classic statements are any guide:
1.
The Palestinian Authority - wanted the preface to the joint statement at Annapolis to say that a final-status arrangement would be completed within six months of the signing of agreements at the summit. (Haaretz 8 November). One day later the time frame had blown out to January 2009.
Considering the last 14 years have failed to conceive anything, is this hastily revised gestation period being propagated and induced by the use of artificial dissemination?
2. GAZA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) --
An aide of deposed Prime Minister Ismail Haneya, Ahmed Yousef told reporters in Gaza that if the Hamas movement was invited to join the Annapolis conference, "it would think about joining and it can detour around its constitution."
A detour around Hamas' constitution seems as likely to succeed as tiptoeing through the yawning potholes in the Road Map caused by exploding mortars and Kassam rockets. Poor Ahmed - will we ever hear any more pearls of wisdom from him again? Looks like he could also be deposed.
3.
President Shimon Peres -"Annapolis is a tremendous opportunity, it won't be an instantaneous solution to everything, but I have spoken to the Arab leaders and there is a spirit of trust and optimism there," (Ynet News 6 November )
Shucks Shimon - everything you say seems to get turned on its head - remember the wonderful Common Market that would be created in the New Middle East? And the promise that Israel would take back the guns given to the Palestinian Authority if they were ever turned on Israel? Are the Arab leaders you spoke to - those who don't seek instantaneous solutions - the ones who prefer wiping Israel off the map in stages?
4
Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni - "The Arab world must support any decision or compromise reached by the Palestinians," Livni told European and Middle Eastern foreign ministers gathered in the Portuguese capital, "instead of dictating the final outcome of the conference." {Haaretz, 6 November)
Sure Tzipi - the 22 member Arab League will roll over just like everyone's pet poodle. Saudi Arabia is sure to be miffed at this infidel Jewish female upstart daring to tell them how to behave. Don't be surprised if the Saudis don't come to Annapolis after this gratuitous insult.
5.
Rafiq Husseini, a top aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he was pleased that there is now talk of reviving the "road map"
