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By Star Editorial Board Fri., Feb. 1, 2019 News that U.S. negotiators held six days of peace talks with the Taliban last week should be cause for celebration. After all, until now there’s been no end in sight to the 17-year-old war in Afghanistan that cost the lives of tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers and hundreds of billions in military and humanitarian aid. But nothing about the agreement in principle reached between the Americans and the Taliban feels right, or moral. By all accounts this is simply about getting U.S. forces out of Afghanistan as quickly as possible. President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to withdraw half the 14,000 American troops, and says he’ll bring the rest home if there’s a deal. It’s not about working out a long-term arrangement that would give Afghanistan at least a chance of establishing peace and democracy in a country riven by conflict for four decades. Article Continued Below And … [Read more...] about Afghan peace talks fall short
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Only Abbas able to make peace: former Israel PM Olmert
Mahmud Abbas is the only Palestinian leader capable of striking a peace deal with Israel, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert said in comments broadcast Saturday after the two men met in Paris. "The only person among the Palestinian people who is capable of doing it and who proved in the past that he is completely committed to do it is Dr Mahmud Abbas, and that's why I have an immense respect for him," he said. He was speaking to the official television station of the Abbas-headed Palestinian Authority after their meeting. US-brokered peace talks have been frozen since 2014, and the Palestinian leadership cut contact with the White House after US President Donald Trump recognised the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Palestinians accuse Trump of blatant bias in favor of Israel and say he is blackmailing them to force them to accept the White House's terms. Olmert headed the Israeli government from 2006 to 2009, when a bid to agree on a two-state … [Read more...] about Only Abbas able to make peace: former Israel PM Olmert
Only Abbas able to make peace: Ex-Israel PM Olmert
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Mahmud Abbas is the only Palestinian leader capable of striking a peace deal with Israel, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert said in comments broadcast Saturday (Sep 22) after the two men met in Paris."The only person among the Palestinian people who is capable of doing it and who proved in the past that he is completely committed to do it is Dr Mahmud Abbas, and that's why I have an immense respect for him," he said.He was speaking to the official television station of the Abbas-headed Palestinian Authority after their meeting.US-brokered peace talks have been frozen since 2014.Olmert headed the Israeli government from 2006 to 2009, when a bid to agree on a two-state solution collapsed with Israeli officials accusing Abbas of rejecting a plan proposed by Olmert."President Abbas never said 'no' to my plan, never," said Olmert.The former Israeli leader was released from prison in July 2017 after serving 16 months for corruption during his term … [Read more...] about Only Abbas able to make peace: Ex-Israel PM Olmert
Trump adviser questions Abbas desire for peace with Israel
JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner on Sunday questioned the ability and willingness of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to make concessions for a peace agreement with Israel. Kushner's remarks, made in a rare interview with Palestinian newspaper Al Quds, came as he and special envoy Jason Greenblatt were in the region to advance efforts to renew the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "President Abbas says that he is committed to peace and I have no reason not to believe him," Kusnher said. "However, I do question how much President Abbas has the ability to, or is willing to, lean into finishing a deal". "He has his talking points which have not changed in the last 25 years. There has been no peace deal achieved in that time," Kushner said. "To make a deal both sides will have to take a leap and meet somewhere between their stated positions. I am not sure President Abbas has the ability to do that." Kushner and Greenblatt met on Friday with Israeli … [Read more...] about Trump adviser questions Abbas desire for peace with Israel
Mike Pence hopes for a ‘new era’ in Middle East peace talks, but Palestinians are looking for partners elsewhere
US Vice President Mike Pence told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he hopes to usher in a “new era” of Middle East peace talks. Pence also told the Israeli Knesset that the US was planning to move its embassy to Jerusalem by 2019. Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas traveled to Brussels to ask EU ministers to broker future peace deals. US Vice President Mike Pence told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he hopes to usher in a “new era” of Middle East peace talks, while the Palestinians have scorned US efforts and are turning to other global leaders for support. During his official visit to Israel on Monday, Pence told reporters it was a “great honor” to be meeting in “Israel’s capital, Jerusalem,” referencing President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Pence added that … [Read more...] about Mike Pence hopes for a ‘new era’ in Middle East peace talks, but Palestinians are looking for partners elsewhere