Here is good news: The Geneva Accords are moving the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians meaningfully forward. Most significantly thus far, these efforts are winning over at least some members of the Bush Administration, and placing strong pressure upon the Sharon Government to cease its undermining of this process so critical to the entire international community.

We've had some good discussion of this issue here before, but other than this very positive initiative in Geneva this has been a mostly depressing subject for me lately. Now, I see a new reason for hope, first that the US will more fully and courageously endorse at least the intent of Geneva accord, which would send a very strong signal, if not directive, to Sharon, and could energize more meaningful official agreement regarding the Palestine question.

From this American perspective, nothing that the US intends or attempts to do in the Mideast regarding our security and interests will be have any probability of positive outcome until there is much more than the present "Road Map" for peace, which I consider a cover for acquiescence to Sharon. The US has been the leading player regarding the future of the Mideast for some time now, and holds a great deal of responsibility. The Bush administration is necessarily changing course on many policies, and if they were wise enough to pursue the Geneva initiative, it would earn for them a great deal of credibility, that would decisively and positively influence the outcome of every US Mideastern involvement.

If you are an American who feels this is an opportunity not to be ignored, please write your representatives and speak out in every way you can.

what a wonderful plan. why don't people just adopt it?
well, the problems with the Geneva Accords are:

1) none of the parties are representatives of their sides. well, i don't know about the arab side.... certainly, Arafat doesn't represent anyone except himself. but the Israeli side, if Yossi Beilin wants to represent Israel he should get elected 1st. otherwise he's undermining the current, democratically elected government

2) the Road Map has been endorsed as the official plan by the entire world (so-called quartet). it is the most realistic solution. the Geneva Accords are undermining that plan.

3) the Geneva Accords are a "simple quick solution". simple quick solutions don't exist. we must not let hope overcloud clearsidedness. there are many factors that would torpedo these 'brilliant' accords to the ground. we can't just "hope" they won't.

that is not to say that the Accords are complete idiocy. i've read some of it and it has some interesting ideas....but on the big scale, it's nothing more than a fairytale

It’s absolutely amazing how Israel can have the audacity to taunt its life blood ally. It just confirms how much influence and confidence they have in America.

"At the same time , Israel set itself up for further pressure from Washington by announcing plans to push ahead with another Jewish settlement expansion project on occupied land in defiance of the road map's requirements to freeze such activities.


Israel invited bids for 98-year leases of 13 plots of land in the sprawling Ariel settlement in the West Bank. The Bush administration has already reduced Israel's $9 billion in loan guarantees in protest at continued settlement building and construction of a vast barrier in the West Bank."



Also, I think that this gesture of endorsing the Geneva accord probably does more towards “winning the war against terrorism <against USA>” than anything they’ve done up to now.

Amazing. All America has to do to make USA a little safer against terrorism is to upset Israel a little.

in defiance of the road map's requirements to freeze such activities
the palestinians have been violating their part from the start.
international pressure, military operations, pleading, change of government, monitary aid, NOTHING worked to make them keep their part... while all that time, Israel waited and waited and waited. well, enough is enough. if they're not keeping their part, why should we...?
maybe it would be a reason for them to finally start fulfilling their part......oh, who am i kidding

All America has to do to make USA a little safer against terrorism is to upset Israel a little
it's funny and sad at the same time.
can't you see the slippery slope you're sliding down?

• Maté, Aaron. "Pillage is Forbidden: Why the Privatization of Iraq is Illegal." The Nation, November 6, 2003. See http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20031124&s=pillage

I came across this article last night following links from another topic. Thought it might be of some use here, as it briefly addresses issues pertaining to the Hague Regulations and the Geneva Conventions.