American delegation "very surprised" at extent of Israeli concessions

(IsraelNN.com) Israeli diplomatic sources said Sunday that the American delegation was very surprised at the extent of Israeli concessions to the Fatah-controlled "Palestinian Authority" (PA) announced by Defense Minister Ehud Barak. However, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was quick to say that they were not enough, and vowed to monitor Israel's execution of its promises.

It's hard to say which came first, the chicken or the egg. How much of Israeli concessions come from American pressure, and how much from the Omert government itself?

One thing I notice in this Roundtable with the Traveling Press is that the press corps traveling with Rice is so intensely pro-Palestinian. I wonder how much that influences her? And I wonder too if within this little bubble, she has gotten to the point of believing that Dhimmedia represents the American public, when in fact the American public - especially the portion of it that elected her boss - is quite the opposite. (Where's that Israel Lobby when you need it?)

QUESTION: What's the [Israeli] Defense Minister's main reluctance? His own personal experience with a process like this, or is it security? What does he tell you --

SECRETARY RICE: Look, I find that the Defense Minister worked very hard to work on this. He is the Defense Minister. There are real security concerns as well. And no one wants to have something that we've done to improve movement and access result in a breakdown in security. It doesn't help the Palestinians. It doesn't help the Israelis. It doesn't help the peace process going forward.

And here's something not widely publicized - I can't imagine Israelis being too thrilled with it:

SECRETARY RICE: Well, I believe that, you know, as with everything, it's not a perfect situation. But the ability to deploy to Nablus was clearly a step forward for the Palestinians, and they're having an effect.

And as to the training [of Palestinian forces] in Jordan, General Jones and General Fraser have both seen it. They think it's going to be very effective in producing that battalion that will be capable and ready. We have been having discussions about where it might deploy. Salam Fayyad wants to go back and take a look at that because he wants to see if he's already got enough forces in some places, where else it might be able to deploy. But I don't think there's any doubt that the training that's going on in Jordan -- we believe is going to produce an effective force. The question is to keep that going because, obviously, you're going to need more and more of these forces.

The Germans have offered, you might note, to host a kind of conference at some point to bring together those who might contribute to putting more resources into the training and equipping of Palestinian forces.

Working backwards, what do you think of GERMANS organizing the training and equipping of Palestinian forces? Doesn't make me feel too "secure" ...

And secondly, what the hell is Salam Fayyad doing running the nascent Palestinian military, "deploying" battalions and the like? I thought he was an economics person.

And in case you've forgotten, let me remind you of his stance (Feb. 11, 2008 in Washington DC):

The ultimate goals of the Palestinian people, today, are the same as they were back in 1988 when the PLO, under the leadership of our late President, Yasser Arafat, endorsed the two-state solution as the means to realize our national and individual aspirations: a sovereign, free and viable Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a just and agreed upon solution to the issue of refugees on the basis of UN General Assembly Resolution 194.

If you're not familiar with the Palestinians' 1974 "Phased Plan," it has three main articles:

1. Through the "armed struggle" (i.e., terrorism), to establish an "independent combatant national authority" over any territory that is "liberated" from Israeli rule. (Article 2)

2. To continue the struggle against Israel, using the territory of the national authority as a base of operations. (Article 4)

3. To provoke an all-out war in which Israel's Arab neighbors destroy it entirely ("liberate all Palestinian territory"). (Article 8)

And here's some noteworthy background on Fayyad:

.... After the establishment of the PA, [Fayyad] returned to the territories as a representative of the International Monetary Fund. In 2001, he started working in the private sector and was appointed the West Bank's manager of the Arab Bank, the largest bank in the Middle East

He was on his way to a brilliant business career when the person considered to be his greatest patron intervened - then national security adviser and today U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. When the Israel Defense Forces' Operation Defensive Shield was over, pressure mounted on Yasser Arafat to implement reforms. As a result, the new job of PA finance minister was set up, a post that was intended to take control of economic affairs away from the rais (Arafat) and put them in professional hands. Back then Fayyad's name was mentioned as the leading candidate and because of pressure from Rice and others, he was persuaded to take the job.

Following his appointment, Fayyad introduced numerous reforms in the PA's financial system, despite vociferous arguments with Arafat, which strengthened his image as a strong and independent person. His ties with President George W. Bush, on the other hand, flourished. Whenever they met, the two made sure that they would have at least a quarter of an hour to reminisce about their days at the University of Texas and to get up to date about the latest developments in the American Football League.

Nice little peek behind the scenes? There's only one problem. The President didn't attend the University of Texas (BA History - Yale 1968; MBA - Harvard) and in the mid-80s when Fayyad was there, George Bush was working in the oil industry. The football connection is real enough, however, and often mentioned.

It's too bad Barak can't join in these male-bonding sessions, but in the 1980s he was busy... elsewhere.

In January 1982, he was appointed Head of the IDF Planning Branch and promoted to Major General. During the 1982 “Peace for Galilee” operation, Major General Barak served as Deputy Commander of the Israeli force in Lebanon.

In April 1983, Maj.Gen. Barak was appointed Head of the Intelligence Branch at the IDF General Headquarters. In January 1986, he was appointed Commander of the IDF Central Command, and in May 1987 was appointed Deputy Chief-of-Staff.

In April 1991, he assumed the post of the 14th Chief of the General Staff and was promoted to the rank of Lt. General, the highest in the Israeli military.

Too long and rambling, and not enough pictures. I know.