Washington Pushes Israel And Palestinians to Negotiate

US Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to jump start negotiations for a final status agreement instead of a more feasible interim agreement might prove dangerous should he fail.   
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak (R) jokingly pushes Palestinian President Yasser Arafat (C) into the Laurel cabin on the grounds of Camp David as U.S. President Bill Clinton watches during peace talks, July 11. Arafat and Barak were insisting that the other proceed through the door first. Camp David is the venue where Egypt and Israel made peace in September 1978, and the Laurel cabin was the site of many of the meetings. WM/RCS - RTRC2FV
Then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak (R) playfully pushes Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat (C) into the Laurel cabin on the grounds of Camp David as US President Bill Clinton watches during peace talks, July 11, 2000. - REUTERS
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Ben Caspit
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The peace conference convened in Camp David in July 2000, almost 13 years ago, was intended to bring the long-awaited end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak was the major initiator and instigator of this event, which was practically forced on late PLO leader Yasser Arafat. Then-US President Bill Clinton wasn’t too enthusiastic about it either, but he could not resist the passionate persuasiveness of indomitable Ehud Barak.

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