Epstein Secrets

rief, Thursday, 26 May, 2011 UNSCO Daily Press Brief Thursday, 26 May, 2011 Diplomacy: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday dismissed Benjamin Netanyahu's outline of a peace deal as a non-starter and said he is now setting his sights on UN recognition of a Palestinian state in the fall. (AP) Speaking

UN recognition of a Palestinian state in the fall. (AP) Speaking at the opening of a meeting for the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, Abbas said Netanyahu "has shown us, in addition to the many mistakes and distortions that he moved very far from the peace process. There was nothing that we could buil

in anything Israel wanted, including the newest weapons, NATO membership, maybe even EU membership. It could be a security windfall for Israel. Does Bibi have any surprise in him or do the Palestinians have him right: a big faker, hiding a nationalist-religious agenda under a cloak of security?" Gaza

ee on a just peace," Obama said in a joint press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London. (Reuters) EU foreign policy Chief Catherine Ashton reiterated that the 27 EU states had been united since 2009 in wanting a two-state solution based on the 1967 lines with land swaps. "Now more than

European, Russian and United Nations officials meet in Washington to discuss the future of the Middle East peace process, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, remains adamant that a peace deal premised on returning to Israel's pre-1967 borders poses an unacceptable risk to its security. He is right: the

R1_0203171 7 EFTA02690736 7 Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear in his May address to Congress. For

deserves. Until June 1967, Israelis feared that a swift Arab military move could cut Israel in two at its "narrow waist" — an area near the city of Netanya, where the country is less than 10 miles wide. By doing so, Arab tanks and artillery could have reached Tel Aviv within a few hours. In the 44 year

ut an obvious fact. With the Middle East in turmoil, starting a new round of Israeli-Palestinian talks is completely pointless. Speaking last week Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, made the opposite case, listing several reasons why she thinks it crucial to start talks. Reason number one was "ch

European, Russian and United Nations officials meet in Washington to discuss the future of the Middle East peace process, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, remains adamant that a peace deal premised on returning to Israel's pre-1967 borders poses an unacceptable risk to its security. He is right: the

_R1_02031773 EFTA02690787 7 Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear in his May address to Congress. For

deserves. Until June 1967, Israelis feared that a swift Arab military move could cut Israel in two at its "narrow waist" — an area near the city of Netanya, where the country is less than 10 miles wide. By doing so, Arab tanks and artillery could have reached Tel Aviv within a few hours. In the 44 year

ut an obvious fact. With the Middle East in turmoil, starting a new round of Israeli-Palestinian talks is completely pointless. Speaking last week Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, made the opposite case, listing several reasons why she thinks it crucial to start talks. Reason number one was "ch

Benjamin Netanyahu's consideration of a military strike. Despite this internal Israeli split, Republican candidate Mitt Romney has strongly endorsed Netanyahu and chided President Obama for taking an independent U.S. position, saying at a campaign rally Monday: "The president throwing Bibi Netanyahu unde

y endorsed Netanyahu and chided President Obama for taking an independent U.S. position, saying at a campaign rally Monday: "The president throwing Bibi Netanyahu under the bus was totally unacceptable. Him negotiating for Israel, our friend, totally unacceptable, in my view." Here's the situation

nging markets? Don't be -- at least not yet. Think 2013. If Israel can't get assurances that the U.S. is prepared to use force, then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak will act later this year or early next. But for now, there will be no war and certainly no deal over the nuclear i

r Israel, our friend, totally unacceptable, in my view." Here's the situation in the negotiations Romney evidently dislikes: By the end of August, Catherine Ashton, the European diplomat who is the chief negotiator for the P5+1, will likely talk by phone about next steps with Saeed Jalili, the representative o

en more likely. Because of such risks, many leaders of Israel's national-security establishment, past and present, appear to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's consideration of a military strike. Despite this internal Israeli split, Republican candidate Mitt Romney has strongly endorsed Netanyahu and chi

enjamin Netanyahu's consideration of a military strike. Despite this internal Israeli split, Republican candidate Mitt Romney has strongly endorsed Netanyahu and chided President Obama for taking an independent U.S. position, saying at a campaign rally Monday: "The president throwing Bibi Netanyahu unde

a campaign rally Monday: "The president throwing Bibi Netanyahu under the bus was totally unacceptable.

r Israel, our friend, totally unacceptable, in my view." Here's the situation in the negotiations Romney evidently dislikes: By the end of August, Catherine Ashton, the European diplomat who is the chief negotiator for the P5+1, will likely talk by phone about next steps with Saeed Jalili, the representative

irst signaled his outreach to Iran: "We seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect." EFTA00660250 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played his expected role in this choreography, criticizing the negotiators for agreeing to another round of talks on May 23 in Baghdad without gett

o another round of talks on May 23 in Baghdad without getting concessions in return. "My initial impression is that Iran has been given a freebie," Netanyahu said. "It has got five weeks to continue enrichment without any limitation, any inhibition." A perfect rebuff— just scornful enough to keep the Ira

anctions not as a climb down but as "reciprocity." The basic framework was set weeks ago, in an exchange of letters between the chief negotiators. Catherine Ashton, who represents the "P5+1" group of permanent •. Security Council members and Germany, proposed a "confidence-building exercise aimed at facilita

as been able to gradually squeeze the Iranian economy. By insisting that "containment" is not an option, Obama has persuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he need not launch an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities -- at least not any time soon. Obama has done everything right, and yet his Iran pol

ma has persuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he need not launch an attack on Iran's nucl

as meaningful and equivalent moves in exchange for Iranian concessions. Arms-control experts say that both British Prime Minister David Cameron and Catherine Ashton, head of foreign affairs for the European Union, favor offering Iran a reduction in sanctions; but there's a limit to what they can do without the

ama has persuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he need not launch an attack on Iran's nucle

w as meaningful and equivalent moves in exchange for Iranian concessions. Arms-control experts say that both British Prime Minister David Cameron and Catherine Ashton, head of foreign affairs for the European Union, favor offering Iran a reduction in sanctions; but there's a limit to what they can do without the Un

able to gradually squeeze the Iranian economy. By insisting that "containment" is not an option, Obama has persuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he need not launch an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities -- at least not any time soon. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028730 --- PAGE BREAK --- Obama has d

w as meaningful and equivalent moves in exchange for Iranian concessions. Arms-control experts say that both British Prime Minister David Cameron and Catherine Ashton, head of foreign affairs for the European Union, favor offering Iran a reduction in sanctions; but there's a limit to what they can do without the Un

Ahmadinejad: the first Iranian president to visit Egypt since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Libya: On January 31%, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced the launch of a two- year civil mission to help secure Libya's 4,000-kilometer border. The announcement was complemented by a surprise visi

ugh some help is foreseen from the $1.5 billion in pledges made at a donors' conference on January 30" in Kuwait. Israel: While recent elections kept Netanyahu's Likud party in the lead by winning 31 of 120 seats in the Knesset, the new centrist party Yesh Atid's ability to win 19 seats under the leadership