Courtesy of ISN Israel News
The support for Israel from both houses of Congress is damaging the chances of reaching a peace deal with Israel, says Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud ‘Abbas.
Speaking in Washington, ‘Abbas says as long as this backing continues, President George W. Bush’s peace Road Map will not be successfully implemented.
‘Abbas’s comment came at the same time as U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell warned it is unlikely a permanent Palestinian state will be established in 2005.
That is the target as stipulated in the Road Map.
‘Abbas is scheduled to meet Bush on Friday in the White House, the first meeting between the two.
The Palestinian is expected to call for an Israeli end to house-building in the West Bank and Gaza, no more construction of the security buffer zone, freedom of movement for Palestinians, the freeing of more Palestinian prisoners and further Israeli troop withdrawals from Palestinian towns.
The London-based Arabic daily A-Sharq Al-Awsat reports today that there are moves to free from Egyptian jail Israeli Azzam Azzam in return for the release from Israeli prisons of 3,000 Palestinians.
The paper suggests the talks have involved leading Egyptians, the Israeli premier and the Palestinian prime minister, along with at least one American official.
Israeli cabinet members are already pouring cold water on the report.
In recent days Cairo has made it clear Azzam’s release is not currently up for negotiation.
Egypt convicted Israeli-Arab Azzam for spying for Israel in 1996.
There is also considerable international media speculation that Egypt will send a new ambassador to Israel in the next few days.
Egypt and Jordan withdrew their ambassadors with the start of the violence in 2000.