Rice and Olmert indulge in more fantasy-based policymaking. “Rice Wants Syria, Other Arab States, at Mideast Talks (Update1),” by Janine Zacharia for Bloomberg (thanks to Steve):
Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) — U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on Syria and Saudi Arabia to join an international meeting later this year in Washington that will work toward establishing a Palestinian state.
Rice outlined U.S. expectations for a Middle East meeting at talks today in New York with representatives of the so-called Quartet, the peacemaking body formed by the U.S., the United Nations, European Union and Russia.
“There’s a sense of momentum in support of the Palestinians and Israelis in their effort to end the conflict,” Rice said. “Given that it has been a number of years since the Israelis and Palestinians have expressed their interest in discussing the core issues between them, it is very important that the regional players of the international community mobilize to support them.”
[…]
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Cabinet today approved the release of about 90 Palestinians from Israeli jails in a gesture of goodwill during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.