Epstein Secrets

Strip (5 October 1999) 363 Sharon Address at Fourth Herzliya Conference (18 December 2003) 371 Exchange of Letters between PM Sharon and President Bush (14 April 2004) 376 Disengagement Plan: General Outline (18 April 2004) 381 Rice-Weisglass Letter of Understanding (18 April 2004) 387 Letters from

3) 371 Exchange of Letters between PM Sharon and President Bush (14 April 2004) 376 Disengagement Plan: General

ptember 2000 signaled the second Palestinian uprising. This reduced the room for maneuver for the Palestinian negotiators. Following the election of George W. Bush as President of the United States, and against the backdrop of the new Intifada, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators gathered in HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_023

legitimacy in a potent new international coalition. The UN Secretary-General coined the phrase the “Middle East Quartet” for this informal group. The Quartet met both at principals level and at the level of special envoys. A novel approach to the imbroglio of Middle East peacemaking was launched: multilat

But these days Gates is less worried about political crossfire and more focused on the legacy of his own tenure, which bridged the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He is determined to define his own legacy as Pentagon boss, and eager to push back against one of the more vocal criticisms of hi

hin the same party. And so I think there is no consensus on a role in the world." In some ways, the first part of his tenure was easier. During the Bush years, money was never an issue. By contrast, Obama faced a harsh economic reality, and Gates tried to get in front of the issue by shrinking the

tenure, which bridged the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He is determined to defin

Strip will depend on effective control there by a legitimate Palestinian government that exercises authority in the West Bank, is committed to the Quartet principles and the Arab Peace Initiative and respects the commitments of the Palestine Liberation Organization. • Call for both states to engage in

ome from rising popular demand for policies of income redistribution. It is for this reason that the Republican Party is determined to protect the Bush tax cuts; to prevent tax hikes; to further cut domestic social spending; and, more broadly, to take a machete to the welfare state. Insofar as Repu

g pragmatically and constructively. They are opening the door to negotiations that could begin as soon as December. This development is leading the Quartet (the U.S., EU, Russia, and the UN) to think beyond their plans from last year, when they could not manage to bring the parties together, according

ettlement by year's end. Thus UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry expressed the Secretary General's hope that the Quartet partners, in consultation with the parties, would chart a "new, credible political way ahead" in the coming months. It remains to be seen how Isra

alem be recorded as Israel. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have both ignored this requirem

rusalem be recorded as Israel. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have both ignored this req

on Mr. Netanyahu, who has used any excuse to thwart peace efforts). But the best path to statehood remains negotiations. The United States and its Quartet partners (the European Union, the United Nations and Russia) should put a map and a deal on the table, with a timeline for concluding negotiations

els, which the Coalition purports to train and reinforce in order to take him down. Iran also wins and of course Hezbollah - all members of President Bush's Axis of Evil. In other words: the Coalition is doing some of the "dirty work" for them. • In my best assessment, the Turks are right in their posit

lso wins and of course Hezbollah - all members of President Bush's Axis of Evil. In other words: the Coalition is

willing to hold serious negotiations with the Palestinians and the group of Arab nations within an international conference, backed by the US and the Quartet - in order to achieve a two- state solution and establish a regional agreement, while maintaining an unyielding and persistent fight against terroris

els, which the Coalition purports to train and reinforce in order to take him down. Iran also wins and of course Hezbollah - all members of President Bush's Axis of Evil. In other words: the Coalition is doing some of the "dirty work" for them. In my best assessment, the Turks are right in their positio

lso wins and of course Hezbollah - all members of President Bush's Axis of Evil. In other words: the Coalition is

willing to hold serious negotiations with the Palestinians and the group of Arab nations within an international conference, backed by the US and the Quartet - in order to achieve a two- state solution and establish a regional agreement, while maintaining an unyielding and persistent fight against terroris

za Strip will depend on effective control there by a legitimate Palestinian government that exercises authority in the West Bank, is committed to the Quartet principles and the Arab Peace Initiative and respects the commitments of the Palestine Liberation Organization. • Call for both states to engage in g

t. But these days Gates is less worried about political crossfire and more focused on the legacy of his own tenure, which bridged the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He is determined to define his own legacy as Pentagon boss, and eager to push back against one of the more vocal criticisms of his

ithin the same party. And so I think there is no consensus on a role in the world." In some ways, the first part of his tenure was easier. During the Bush years, money was never an issue. By contrast, Obama faced a harsh economic reality, and Gates tried to get in front of the issue by shrinking the Pen