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Peace in the Middle East?
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| josh4 |
| quote: | Mideast Leaders Promise to Halt Violence
46 minutes ago
By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI, Associated Press Writer
SHARM EL SHEIK, Egypt - In a crucial step heralded as a fresh start to peacemaking, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas promised Tuesday to halt all acts of violence and agreed to meet again soon to tackle the tougher issues that for decades have blocked the road to peace.
Even if their cease-fire pledge sticks, much negotiating lies ahead as the two sides work to rebuild the trust destroyed in four years of deadly attacks.
"What we agreed upon today is simply the beginning of the process of bridging the gap," Abbas said after his first face-to-face meeting with Sharon since succeeding Yasser Arafat (news - web sites). The Palestinian leader made clear the two sides have yet to wade into more fundamental issues, including control of Jerusalem and "the settlements, the release of prisoners, the wall."
The speeches by the two leaders at this Egyptian resort, broadcast live on Israeli and Arab TV stations, were greeted with a mixture of hope and skepticism on a cold, rainy day back home. Many people said they would settle for modest improvements in their daily lives.
"We've gone from euphoria to extreme disappointment," said Shimrit Golan, an Israeli law student who lives in Jerusalem. "We'll wait and see what happens."
"I hope the leaders are serious this time, because the future is dark," said Raed Omar, a university student in Gaza City.
The militant group Hamas threw up an immediate roadblock, saying it was waiting to hear from Abbas and to see what Israel would do before committing to a halt in violence.
Yet the verbal cease-fire pledge and the sight of Abbas and Sharon grinning broadly as they shook hands across a summit table were the clearest signs yet of a new life for the peace process after Arafat's death in November and Abbas' election in January.
One Israeli official, Gideon Meir, said "there was a great atmosphere in the talks ... smiles and joking." In another sign the talks went well, Egypt and Jordan announced they would return their ambassadors to Israel after a four-year absence — possibly within days.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm.../mideast_summit
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Will it last? |
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| Yoepus |
I don't know. There is a lot of distrust.
It will take a long time to rebuild it, I don't know if it is possible without a prolonged period (a year or two) of ceasefire and simply the status quo.
I don't think that will happen though.:( |
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| DJ-Kreing^^ |
| Nahh.. it will never happen if you ask me. |
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| Philby |
| quote: | Originally posted by josh4
Will it last? |
no because it simply cannot happen. theres too much history and tension and too many hardliners on each side that cant sleep until the infidels are completely annihilated. |
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| Epicurus |
| That slogan needs to die. How about "Justice in the Middle East". Or "A Just peace in the Middle East". Once reformulated in that fashion, your answer is no. |
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| Lira |
People should take Jews and Arabs to a remote location and flood Israel and the Palestine. This way no one wins, no one loses and there's no way they're gonna fight each other anymore.
Simple :D |
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| Yoepus |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
People should take Jews and Arabs to a remote location and flood Israel and the Palestine. This way no one wins, no one loses and there's no way they're gonna fight each other anymore.
Simple :D |
Nah, we'd just blame each other that the other side caused the flood. |
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| St_Andrew |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
People should take Jews and Arabs to a remote location and flood Israel and the Palestine. This way no one wins, no one loses and there's no way they're gonna fight each other anymore.
Simple :D |
lol, actually that is a genious idea! no one wins, everyone is happy!
giant tsunami please :p |
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| George Smiley |
| quote: | Originally posted by Yoepus
I don't know. There is a lot of distrust.
It will take a long time to rebuild it, I don't know if it is possible without a prolonged period (a year or two) of ceasefire and simply the status quo.
I don't think that will happen though.:( |
I bet Israel will be first to break the ceasefire
Any takers?! |
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| George Smiley |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
People should take Jews and Arabs to a remote location and flood Israel and the Palestine. This way no one wins, no one loses and there's no way they're gonna fight each other anymore.
Simple :D |
Nah wont work, that bastard Moses will turn up with his staff and get rid of all the water (think the Arabs would be ed tho!) |
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