New Peace Talks Imminent
Apparently we’re on the brink of peace in the Middle East: U.S. officials: Abbas announcement imminent, details not yet finalized.
Excuse me if I don’t break out the champagne just yet.
U.S. officials told Jewish community leaders on a private conference call this afternoon that they believe Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is on the verge of joining Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in accepting an invitation to resume peace talks.
But the officials acknowledged that details of the talks have yet to be finalized, plans for a presidential visit to the region remain unclear, and hopes of drawing other Arab leaders and Hamas into the process ride on the momentum of the talks themselves.
“The sun has now set and [Abbas] is conducting what is going to be one final round of consultations and we expect a positive announcement to come quite soon after he finishes,” said deputy special envoy David Hale, attributing delay in the Abbas announcement to the Ramadan holiday.
Hale acknowledged, however, that details of the talks — announced to great fanfare today — have yet to be finalized.
Frank says: