[Analysis] There is much skepticism that the upcoming peace summit in Annapolis, Maryland will yield any immediate tangible results, but will more likely pave the way for future negotiations on solving the Israeli-Arab conflict.
Because of this, the main battle in the conference will not be fought over who gets what and which party compromises most, but over which side wins the minds of the viewers at home.
The PR battle is arguably the most important element of the summit. While leaders of Israel and the Arab world discuss what will probably be summarized in a watered-down statement about future negotiations, their respective spokespeople will be readily available to present their positions to the numerous media outlets covering the event.
Israel has sent a team of seven spokespeople to present the Israeli side during the summit. The number of Israeli talking heads was reportedly scaled down due to budgetary constraints. It stands to reason that the Arab countries also have their skilled talkers lined up to present their side of the story.
“I think it’s clear from what everyone is saying that expectations have been significantly lowered,” says Simon McGregor-Wood, chairman of the Foreign Press Association in Israel and the Jerusalem bureau chief for ABC News.
“This is obviously not an event at which negotiations will take place. It’s very much a question of setting the tone and I’m sure this will be very much determined by the spokesmen rather than by the content of negotiations,” he says.
Leaders of Israel and the Arab world are already in Annapolis preparing for the meeting, which opens with a dinner in Washington on Monday night and continues with a several-hour-long meeting in Annapolis on Tuesday.
More than a dozen Arab countries are sending their foreign ministers to attend the summit.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad criticized Arab countries participating in the conference. He called on Saudi Arabia to cancel its participation on the grounds that the United States was “an accomplice to Israel’s crimes” and could not be the mediator in these talks.
Following long deliberations, the Syrians are also sending a delegate to the summit after being assured that the Golan Heights, an area seized by Israel in 1967 and contested by Damascus, would be on the agenda.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said, upon departing for Annapolis, that he would view Syria’s participation in the summit favorably and would consider future talks if the conditions were right.
Syria is sending Deputy Foreign Minister Fei’sal Miqdad. Officials explained that the minister was tied up with other engagements and could not attend the conference, but observers say lowering the level of participation could be a concession to Iran, and a message to the U.S. that Syria will not take orders from Washington.
Syria’s participation in the talks is good news for the U.S., which is eager for the summit to look successful, despite the low expectations.
Meanwhile, in Israel, police have been put on highest alert for fear of terror attacks ahead of the Annapolis summit.
Traffic in Jerusalem was slowed down and dozens of Palestinians were delayed at checkpoints on Sunday because of pinpointed security alerts across the capital. Israel fears extreme organizations such as Hamas will attempt to stage terror attacks in order to derail the talks.