Rice leaves, but political pressure remains

US won’t ease political pressure on Israel following Rice’s departure; will send other representatives to region to monitor peace talks

Roni Sofer |Published: 04.01.08 , 09:58

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may have left Israel, but the US will likely keep sending a steady stream of officials to the region in order to monitor peace talks, and pressure Israel and the Palestinians into signing a formal accord by the end of the year. US President Bush is expected to visit Israel on its 60th anniversary, the 14-16 of May, and the pressure placed on Israel to finalize talks by that date is likely to be intense.

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US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley is due to arrive in Israel in a fortnight, and Secretary of State Rice will likely pay at least one more visit to the Middle East until that time. In the meanwhile, Lieutenant General William Fraser, head of the US team for the implementation of the Road Map, is likely to carefully and diligently monitor the ground level implementation of this US brokered plan for Mid East peace.

A senior Israeli political official stated that this “constant American presence in the region is aimed at pressuring Israel and the Palestinians into implementing the Road Map at a very practical, grassroots level”.

Jerusalem officials, in the meanwhile, are discussing several political goodwill gestures that could be implemented during the US president’s visit; among them a joint American, Israeli, Palestinian “declaration of principles”. This, however, seems to be a far from desirable political option as far as Israel is concerned.

“Another declaration of principles would be suicidal as far as Israel is concerned,” noted a political official. “there is enough pressure on both sides to reach an accord by the end of the year as is.”

Israel fears 'breach of trust' with US

US Secretary of State Rice has also seemed less than amenable to a “declaration of principles”. In statements made during a press conference in Amman Jordan, she noted that the task facing both Israel and the Palestinians is inking an actual peace deal by the end of the year.

Jerusalem officials warn of a possible breach of trust that might develop between Israel and the US due to Israel’s perceived failure to implement the Road Map. The US state department, Israeli officials stated, is concerned that Israel might not be doing all it can in order to abide by the Road Map principles. Of special concern to the US is Israel’s ongoing construction in settlements and illegal outposts, as well as its failure to aid West Bank Palestinian civilians and improve the overall quality of their lives.

Though secretary Rice did seem pleased with the progress made in negotiations between Foreign Minister Tzipi Livini and Former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, US officials still fear the peace talks might be stymied due to the harsh condition in Gaza as well as the equally bleak security situation and rampant exchanges of fire surrounding the Strip. It is for that reason, noted secretary Rice during her visit, that the US intends to carefully and closely monitor Israel’s implementation of the Road Map principles.

The Russian Ambassador to United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, furthermore announced that the Moscow Conference, due to convene this summer, will also focus heavily on hastening Israel-Palestinian peace talks in hopes for an accord by the end of 2008. Churkin noted that this is part of a political strategy agreed upon by the US, Russia and the European Union during the Annapolis peace conference.