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Tuesday, November 27, 2007

The great White House hunter’s Xmas ornaments

By Ken Herman | Tuesday, November 27, 2007, 03:53 PM

vpbirds.jpg

This sign is on a box of holiday decorations sitting on a White House driveway. Seem to be headed for space controlled by famed bird hunter Dick Cheney.

Make your own jokes. Feel free to share them here. And remember, it’s the holiday season. Be nice.

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Bush to Middle East?

By Ken Herman | Tuesday, November 27, 2007, 02:20 PM

President Bush has trotted the globe as president but there is a glaring hole in his travel record. Since moving into the White House in January 2001 Bush has not been to Israel or the Palestinian territories.

The possibility of a visit didn’t come up when Bush met Monday with PLO President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

“They didn’t talk about travel,” says Bush spokeswoman Dana Perino. “The president enjoyed his trip very much to the region when he went as governor. He has not been as president. I’m sure it is something that the president, if he could fit it into the next year’s activities, would consider it.”

Bush has meetings with Abbas and Olmert again on Wednesday in the Oval Office. Time for travel talk?

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Mideast peace plan text

By Ken Herman | Tuesday, November 27, 2007, 11:55 AM

Here’s the text of the “joint understanding” signed today in Annapolis by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Liberation Organization President Mahmoud Abbas:

The representatives of the government of the state of Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, represented respectively by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Mahmoud Abbas, in his capacity as chairman of the PLO executive committee and president of the Palestinian Authority, have convened in Annapolis, Maryland, under the auspices of President George W. Bush of the United States of America, and with the support of the participants of this international conference having concluded the following joint understanding:

We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis.

In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral in order to conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements.

We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008.

For this purpose, a steering committee led jointly be the head of the delegation of each party will meet continuously as agreed.

The steering committee will develop a joint work plan and establish and oversee the work of negotiations teams to address all issues, to be headed by one lead representative from each party.

The first session of the steering committee will be held on 12 December, 2007.

President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert will continue to meet on a biweekly basis to follow up the negotiations in order to offer all necessary assistance for their advancement.

The parties also commit to immediately implement their respective obligations under the performance-based road map to a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict issued by the quartet on 30 April, 2003 - this is called the road map - and agree to form an American, Palestinian and Israeli mechanism led by the United States to follow up on the implementation of the road map.

The parties further commit to continue the implementation of the ongoing obligations of the road map until they reach a peace treaty. The United States will monitor and judge the fulfillment of the commitment of both sides of the road map.

Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, implementation of the future peace treaty will be subject to the implementation of the road map, as judged by the United States.

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Bush at peace conference

By Ken Herman | Tuesday, November 27, 2007, 08:36 AM

Highlights of President Bush’s speech this morning at the Mideast peace conference in Annapolis:

“Today, Palestinians and Israelis each understand that helping the other to realize their aspirations is the key to realizing their own - and both require an independent, democratic, viable Palestinian state. Such a state will provide Palestinians with the chance to lead lives of freedom, purpose and dignity. And such a state will help provide Israelis with something they have been seeking for generations: to live in peace with their neighbors. Achieving this goal will not be easy. If it were easy, it would have happened a long time ago.”

“Our purpose here in Annapolis is not to conclude an agreement. Rather, it is to launch negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. For the rest of us, our job is to encourage the parties in this effort - and to give them the support they need to succeed.”

“In light of recent developments, some have suggested that now is not the right time to pursue peace. I disagree. I believe that now is precisely the right time to begin these negotiations - for a number of reasons: First, the time is right because Palestinians and Israelis have leaders who are determined to achieve peace. … Second, the time is right because a battle is underway for the future of the Middle East - and we must not cede victory to the extremist. … Third, the time is right because the world understands the urgency of supporting these negotiations.”

“The task begun here at Annapolis will be difficult. This is the beginning of the process, not the end of it - and much work remains to be done. Yet the parties can approach this work with confidence. The time is right. The cause is just. And with hard effort, I know they can succeed.”

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