The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, was the setting of a recent one-day summit called by President Bush with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. More than 40 nations were represented at the gathering as well, including Arab states such as Saudi Arabia which do not have diplomatic ties with Israel.
The two Mideast leaders agreed to resume peace talks for the first time in seven years, with a goal of finalizing a lasting peace agreement by the end of December 2008.
They, at the President's urging, signed a "joint understanding" statement, that read in part:
"We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis. In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty, resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements.
President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert will continue to meet on a bi-weekly basis to follow up on the negotiations in order to offer all necessary assistance for their advancement.
The parties also commit to immediately implement their respective obligations under the performance-based road map to a permanent two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, issued by the Quartet (of Mideast peace negotiators, comprised of the U.S., United Nations, Russia and the European Union) on 30 April 2003–this is called the road map–and agree to form an American, Palestinian and Israeli mechanism, led by the United States, to follow up on the implementation of the road map."
The President addressed the gathering after reading the statement.
"The Palestinian people are blessed with many gifts and talents. They want the opportunity to use those gifts to better their own lives and build a better future for their children. They want the dignity that comes with sovereignty and independence. They want justice and equality under the rule of law. They want freedom from violence and fear.
The people of Israel have just aspirations as well. They want their children to be able to ride a bus or go to school without fear of suicide bombers. They want an end to rocket attacks and constant threats of assault. They want their nations to be recognized and welcomed in the region where they live.
Today, Palestinians and Israelis each understand that helping the other to realize their aspirations is key to realizing their own aspirations–and both require an independent, democratic, viable Palestinian state. Such a state will provide Palestinians with the chance to lead lives of freedom and purpose and dignity. Such a state will help provide the Israelis with something they have been seeking for generations: to live in peace with their neighbors.
Achieving this goal is not going to be easy–if it were easy, it would have happened a long time ago. To achieve freedom and peace, both Israelis and Palestinians will have to make tough choices. Both sides are sober about the work ahead, but having spent time with their leaders, they are ready to take on the tough issues.
Our purpose here in Annapolis is not to conclude an agreement. Rather, it is to launch negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians. For the rest of us, our job is to encourage the parties in this effort–and to give them the support they need to succeed," the President said. Olmert, in his remarks, said, "We want peace. We demand an end to terror, and an end to incitement and to hatred. We are prepared to make a painful compromise, rife with risks, in order to realize these aspirations.
The negotiations will address all of the issues which we have thus far avoided dealing with. We will do this directly, openly and courageously. We will not avoid any subject. We will deal with all the core issues.
I am pleased to see here in this hall representatives of Arab countries. Most of them do not have diplomatic relations with Israel. The time has come for you as well.
We cannot continue to stand by indefinitely and to watch you standing and watching from the sidelines, watching the peace train, as it were, going by. The time has come to end the boycott, the alienation and the obliviousness toward the state of Israel. It does not help you and it hurts us," Olmert said.
Abbas, in his statement, said, "What we are facing today is not just the challenge of peace, but we are facing a test of our credibility as a whole: the United States, members of the Quartet, and all members of the international community, Israel, the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, the Arab and Islamic group, as well.
It is a test that would leave its indelible impact on the future of the region and on the relationship among its peoples and the international powers that are entrusted in the peace, stability of our region.
I say to the citizens of Israel, on this extraordinary day, you, our neighbors on this small land, neither us nor you are begging for peace from each other. It is a common interest for us and for you. Peace and freedom is a right to us, inasmuch as peace and security is a right for you and for us. Time has come for the cycle of blood, violence and occupation to come to an end. Time has come that both of us should look at the future with confidence and hope in this long-suffering land, which was called the land of love and peace," Abbas said.
Following the summit, the White House announced that the President planned to visit the Middle East early this month, his first such trip to the region while in office.
Some in the faith community expressed hope that this latest attempt to finalize a Mideast peace agreement will bear fruit.
Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, noted, "So far, is just a signature, now they have to walk the talk. I do hope this is a serious attempt to achieving a lasting peace."
Younan added, "We are not politicians; our role is to seek justice. If justice is not achieved, extremism will thrive. And we should not allow the extremism to take hostage Palestine and the whole Middle East. This is the time for justice, and we need to seize it."
The National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East, which is comprised of several Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders, penned an open letter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.
"We believe more assertive U.S. leadership is needed to improve conditions on the ground and to reach agreement on principles for resolving final status issues.
In relation to improving conditions on the ground to restore hopes for peace among Palestinians and Israelis, we believe important steps include working for an end to all violent attacks and counter attacks by achieving a comprehensive ceasefire, pressing the Palestinian Authority to confiscate illegal weapons and disband militias, and pressing Israel to freeze expansion of settlements and ease movement for Palestinians in the West Bank by reducing the number of military checkpoints," the group stated.
Leaders of the National Council of Churches wrote a letter to the President, expressing encouragement and prayers for the summit "as a new beginning in a process that will one day lead to the realization of a just peace in the Holy Land." The NCC leaders reaffirmed the ecumenical group's longstanding support to "the goals and principles that are central to a lasting peace: and end to the occupation, and a viable two-state solution; a renunciation of violence by all parties and an affirmation of the rights and security concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians; and a shared Jerusalem, which can one day be a symbol of the peace that is central to the faith of Christians, Jews and Muslims."
Likewise, the World Council of Churches wrote a letter to Rice, Olmert and Abbas, that stated in part:
"It is our fervent hope that the lessons learned in past peace processes will give you courage and perseverance. We are praying that steps taken now will serve to bring a just peace closer for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people. As a people of faith and as fellow human beings, we are concerned for their future and well-being. We know, that despite decades of conflict, many Israelis and Palestinians yearn for peace and are ready to follow leaders willing to pay the high price of peace. We believe, as Christian Scripture says, that all those who work for peace will indeed be blessed," the group stated.
The Anti-Defamation League - which combats anti-Semitism - said it, too, welcomed a resumption of Mideast peace talks, but also sounded a note of caution.
"Success will ultimately depend on a true commitment by the Palestinians and Arab countries to fully accept Israel as a Jewish state, to end the culture of terrorism and hatred, and to demonstrate flexibility on issues that heretofore they have not exhibited," the ADL said.
Two weeks following the summit, the first round of talks in Jerusalem were held. The 90-minute session got off to a rocky start, with Israel demanding a crackdown on militants, most notably from the Islamic militant group, Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip last June from Abbas's Fatah faction, from where it has launched numerous missile attacks on Israel.
The Palestinians, in turn, demanded a halt to Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank.
Three weeks after the summit, an international donors' conference supporting Palestinian reform and institution building was held in Paris.
Also, Russia is tentatively planning to host a follow-up gathering to the Annapolis summit early this year, with the goal of launching a more comprehensive peace effort in the Middle East that would include direct talks between Israel and Syria. Those discussions would center on the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria during the 1967 Mideast War.
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