Professor Schaff notes below the Secretary of State's call for a "Palestinian State." Dennis Ross mentions some things that Secretary Rice will have to do to "pave the way for a Mideast peace deal."
First, explore the nature of the gaps between the two sides on the principal issues. ...Second, Rice needs to probe possible fall-back objectives and options. ...Third, the secretary needs to lower expectations about the meeting and do more to prepare for it.
He left out number four: sprout wings and sprinkle fairy dust on everyone's head. Mr. Ross seems not to notice that the Palestinians are engaged in a civil war with each other, with Hamas controlling Gaza and Fatah the West Bank. With whom, precisely, is Israel supposed to make a deal? Hamas will accept any peace deal that includes the suicide of the Israeli state. Fatah might join a reasonable treaty, but cannot enforce its terms probably can't hold onto the West Bank without the assistance of the U.S. and Israel. I do not know what Secretary Rice is playing at, but the hope for any agreement that includes the Palestinian is born out of sheer fantasy.
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