Bush plan for Middle Peace 'needs a miracle' 04/06/2008 - 18:35:52
The chief Palestinian peace negotiator today cast serious doubt on President George Bush’s goal of a Middle East peace deal by the end of the year, saying it would take a “miracle” to produce an agreement.
Israel and the Palestinians resumed peace talks at a US-hosted summit last November and set a year-end target for reaching an agreement.
The lead Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia said today that it is increasingly unlikely the sides can meet their jointly stated goal.
Speaking at a meeting of the ruling Fatah movement, Mr Qureia said negotiating teams are working on all the key issues at the heart of the 60-year conflict, including the final borders between Israel and a future Palestinian state, the fate of millions of Palestinian refugees and the final status of Jerusalem.
However, “gaps still exist,” he said. “If we continue in negotiations progress can be made, but not final progress. I don’t think that we can reach an agreement this year unless there is a miracle.”
While the Palestinians have grown increasingly impatient with the pace of negotiations, his comments were the strongest doubts yet about the timeline.
Israeli officials have also raised their own questions, saying a framework agreement, as opposed to a final deal, is the most likely outcome of the talks. A growing corruption probe that threatens to topple Prime Minister Ehud Olmert cast further doubts on peace prospects.
In a speech about the peace talks in Washington he said, “the time for both parties to make difficult decisions is soon approaching.”
One of the key sticking points of the talks has been continued Israeli construction in West Bank settlements and east Jerusalem – areas claimed by the Palestinians.
Earlier this week, a meeting between Mr Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was overshadowed by the settlement issue.
Mr Abbas complained about continued Israeli expansion – plans for hundreds more apartments in east Jerusalem were announced earlier this week – while Mr Olmert said he was upset about a letter in which Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad asked the EU not to upgrade ties with Israel.
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