Two major developments dominate the news in our region. George Bush has ratcheted up the hysterical anti-Iranian campaign – even going so far as to threaten the world with a  third world war. At the same time, the United States is convening an important “peace meeting” designed, ostensibly, to jump start the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The preparations themselves seem to be in need of some acceleration.

Ha’aretz diplomatic correspondent, Shmuel Rosner summed up Ms.  Rice’s most recent appearance before the House Foreign Affairs Committee (Ha’aretz, 25.10.07): No date for the meeting has been fixed. Invitations have not been sent out. Preliminary meetings are still going on. We learn that the meeting which was supposed to meet in the fall is now planned for “before the end of the year.” Fortunately for Rice, no one in the House was interested in the details of the substance of the proposed solutions to the conflict. (more…)