As invitations are being sent out by the US to initiate Palestinian-Israeli peace talks many commentators are concerned with the vagueness of possible agenda. Clarity and confidence will be required at the Annapolis meeting as to how a two-state solution should be administered. However, that may be as easy as following a story in alphabet soup.

Borders, Jerusalem, refugees, and security have been the key issues since the creation of Israel and May 2008 will mark the sixtieth anniversary. In that time Israel has illegally occupied Palestinian land, created Israeli settlements on said occupied land, and continued to ignore UN resolution after UN resolution. Both the Palestinians and Israelis are responsible for the murder and carnage that today creates such a hostile environment for possible peace negotiations.

More than 100 officials are expected to attend the Annapolis meeting including the much needed Arab League of States members. The faces may have changed, but the rhetoric remains sharply the same as the Oslo accords. Nothing much is new here. It is just so unlikely that Israel will acknowledge a viable Palestinian state and it is just as unlikely that Palestine and the surrounding Arab nations will recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

Washington may just be compensating for the all the negative attention being paid to them as a consequence of the Iraqi occupation and the six year absence of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. The Bush regime continues to isolate itself as global criticism mounts against the aggressive posture of US foreign policy.

Brought to you in part by the Carlyle Group & Campbell’s soup: Mmm, mmm not so good.