Posted on 07/15/2008 5:00:21 AM PDT by SJackson
Palestinian Authority officials on Monday welcomed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's plans to visit Ramallah next week, saying they would brief him on the situation in the PA territories and the status of peace talks with Israel.
The officials, however, warned that Obama's meeting with PA President Mahmoud Abbas, slated for July 23, did not mean that the Palestinians favor Obama over his Republican rival John McCain.
"The Palestinians don't interfere in the internal affairs of the US," a top PA official told The Jerusalem Post. "Obama's visit to Ramallah does not mean that we have endorsed him."
Another PA official said that the Palestinian leadership was "quite excited" about the candidate's visit to Ramallah.
"This visit shows that the man is interested in the Middle East," he said. "President Abbas will brief him on the general situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the status of the peace talks with Israel."
The PA officials expressed hope that the next US administration, regardless of who's elected as president, would place the Israeli-Arab conflict at the top of its agenda.
"Without US involvement, the peace process can't move forward," they stressed. "The next US administration must exert pressure on Israel to halt its policy of settlement construction and remove all restrictions on the Palestinians."
The PA officials also expressed satisfaction with Obama's recent statements regarding the status of Jerusalem. Earlier this week, Obama clarified his recent call for supporting Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel.
"You know, the truth is that this was an example where we had some poor phrasing in the speech, and we immediately tried to correct the interpretation that was given," Obama told CNN.
"The point we were simply making was, is that we don't want barbed wire running through Jerusalem, similar to the way it was prior to the 1967 war, that it is possible for us to create a Jerusalem that is cohesive and coherent. I was not trying to predetermine what are essentially final-status issues."
Obama said during a speech in June to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that if he is elected president, "Jerusalem would remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided."
Commenting on Obama's latest remarks, the PA officials described them as "very positive." They said that by "correcting" himself on the issue of Jerusalem, Obama "displayed sensitivity and a balanced stance."
In another development, the PA negotiating team with Israel is scheduled to head to Washington Tuesday for talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat said he and his colleague, Ahmed Qurei [Abu Ala], would brief Rice on the latest developments in the peace talks with Israel.
He said the PA delegation was planning to highlight the main obstacles hindering an agreement, including the policy of settlements and Israel's security measures.
Erekat revealed that Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert were scheduled to meet in Jerusalem in 10 days to continue discussions over final-status issues.
Robert Kennedy was unavailable for comment.
I hope he’ll remember to take his hijabs with him.
Who cares what the Palestinians say or do. They are a people that have been pushed all over the middle east. Nobody wants them in their country. They thought they got rid of them when they strayed into Israel decades ago. But low and behold the jews came back and conquered their land. Now all the other arabs are mad because the palestinians have no where to go again, and they don’t want anything to do with them. You don’t see any of the other arabs opening their doors to these nomads do you? This tribe has no power other than what other people give them. Without handouts they are broke and cannot fend for themselves. All they have is the tool of terror and propaganda by bleeding heart liberals to back their cause!
DISCLAIMER: I am not Jewish.
Skin me if you like, B’rer Fox, but whatever you do, DON’T THROW ME INTO THAT BRIAR PATCH!
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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Birds of a feather.
Is that ever true.
I look forward to seeing the pictures of the adoring fans.
If the Israelis had the heart of the palistinians, the pallys would have no water, electricity, petroleum products or jobs.
Video of Obama visiting these filthy murderers makes instant McCain campaign videos.
McCain won't use it, but I hope he makes a photo-op of it, someone will.
On the other hand, regrettably, video of Obama visiting Israel and talking with Israeli politicians could make for campaign material for Jewish 'Rats anxious to perpetuate the myth that Obama's candidacy is nothing to be concerned about.
Will his mentor Jimmy Carter be accompanying him on the visit?
see my post above
Probably. The world will turn against Israel in the Latter Days. It is foretold. It will happen.
And then the world will decide to go to war against Israel. It is foretold. It will happen.
We lurch towards that day.
Zechariah 12:1-3 KJV
1 The burden of the Word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the Earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a Cup of Trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a Burdensome Stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the Earth be gathered together against it.
Zechariah 14:1-11 KJV
1 Behold, a Day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you.
2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.
3 Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.
4 In that Day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.
Ain’t it the truth!
“...We lurch towards that day...”
Anyone on the Lord’s side of the line will be safe, but “Woe” to His enemies...
The main thing hindering an agreement is Israel's refusal to bare it's citizens' throats to the Pallies' beheading knives. The Pallies aren't interested in an agreement, they want either Israel entirely out of the ME or all Israelis in the ME dead.
There will be no peace in the ME as long as Israel and the Pallies are both there, and unless the divine author of the bible is mistaken (impossible) Israel will be there forever. But never the less, in due time there will be peace in the ME because Israel's Messiah will eventually rule over every square foot of it from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates River as promised to the Jews' progenitor Abram 4000 years ago.
Read all about it, it's in the Book.
Be sure you're not on the wrong side of that line, because His enemies don't know what kind of grief they're in for when they lay hands on the apple of His eye.
Isa. 1:24, Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, "Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:"
Ask the Germans who survived WWII in utter ruins and under occupation by Stalin's Red Army about what it means to be an enemy of Israel.
Ramallah readies for Obama visit [does not mean that we have endorsed him]Does not mean that we believe them. ;') Thanks C from E.
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