Only weeks ago Barack Obama, the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party, proposed he is prepared to engage, communicate with ‘rogue’ states. Overlooking the Libya embrace, Obama was heavily criticized by Bush and McBush as an appeaser.
Fast Forward: What a difference a few months makes? Bush’s legacy quest changes everything. He needs to secure a legacy where he is seen as a peace maker.
So let’s talk:
The Telegraph, UK reports –
Israel hints at peace with Hizbollah – it is ready for direct peace.
Israel has indicated that it is ready for direct peace talks with Lebanon, hours after agreeing a landmark truce with Hamas.”-
The government said that there was “no logical reason” why talks could not go ahead following similar negotiations with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, and the regime in Syria .
“Today we have concurrent peace negotiations with both the Syrians and the Palestinians and there is no logical reason why there should not also be talks with the Lebanese,” said Mark Regev, a spokesman for the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
Israeli and Lebanese politicians also confirmed a deal is near for the return of two Israeli soldiers captured by the Lebanese Islamist group Hizbollah in July 2006, which kicked off a 34-day summer war.
[.]
The Israeli offer follows last month’s forced takeover of part of Beirut by Hizbollah, which relinquished it only when promised a greater share of power. Hizbollah resistance is presently focused on Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, a tiny territory claimed by Lebanon. Mr Regev said Israel is ready for “direct, bilateral talks” on “all issues” of contention, including Shebaa.
[.]
There is also strong pressure from US President George W Bush for progress on peace in the Middle East before his term in office ends.
(emphasis added)
The Telegraph report is confirmed by Ha’aretz, Israel’s largest daily:
Israel says it’s ready to begin peace talks with Lebanon
Government spokesman Mark Regev said on Wednesday that Israel is interested in direct, bilateral talks with Lebanon in order to reach a peace deal between the two bordering countries.
[.]U.S. pushes for Israel-Lebanon peace talks, deal on Shaba
The United States has begun mediating between Israel and Lebanon in an effort to resolve their dispute over Shaba Farms in the hope they would then start peace talks.
U.S. President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice informed Olmert of this during his visit to Washington two weeks ago, and Rice repeated it during her visit here earlier this week. According to a senior Israeli official, Rice gave Lebanon a message from Olmert on this issue on Monday.
The London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat reported Tuesday that during her brief visit to Beirut
on Monday, Rice told Lebanese officials that the U.S. was working to obtain an Israeli withdrawal from Shaba. “Our efforts are continuing, and will be stepped up in the coming weeks,” the paper quoted Rice as saying.[.]
The party of the U.S. charge d’affaires was attacked with stones on Wednesday by Hezbollah supporters during a visit to southern Lebanon, a Lebanese security source said.
[.]
On a visit to Beirut on Monday, Rice said that Washington still considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization, despite the militant group taking part in Lebanon’s new government of national unity.
Bush needs a deal. It’s now expedient to talk with Hizbollah. Spin away but… Hizbollah is part of the Lebanese government, a full partner in the coalition.