Syria Headed for Annapolis Talks

Peace center will distribute games to Israelis, Palestinians during US talks

(NEWSER) - A computer game that promotes peace in the Middle East will be distributed to Palestinians and Israelis this week while their leaders meet in the US to negotiate, the Associated Press reports. “PeaceMaker” players choose roles as Israeli or Palestinian leaders and respond to attacks from the opposing side. Leaders who launch counter-attacks don’t thrive in the game. More»

Palestinian president speculates on statehood before Bush leaves office

(NEWSER) - The Palestinians and the Israelis can broker peace before George Bush leaves office in January 2009, Mahmoud Abbas said today in a press conference with Condoleezza Rice. The Palestinian president parroted a statement last night by Israeli PM Ehud Olmert. Putting the leaders on the same page is an achievement in itself, says the Washington Post, but both are politically weak. More»

Unrest marks anniversary of Arab defeat in 1967 war

(AP) - Israeli troops opened fire across the Syrian frontier today to disperse hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters who stormed the border of the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, reportedly killing four people in unrest marking the anniversary of the Arab defeat in the 1967 Mideast war. The Israeli military accused Syria of instigating the disturbances to deflect attention from its bloody crackdown on a popular uprising at home. State-run Syrian TV reported four dead, including a 12-year-old boy, and 15 wounded. There was no immediate confirmation of the report. More»

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton met separately with the Palestinian president and prime minister in the West Bank today, after sitting down with Israeli leaders yesterday, and announcing the appointment of two senior envoys to Syria. Palestinian leaders implored Clinton to push for a freeze on expanding Israeli West Bank settlements, and open borders for Gaza. As the new occupants of the White House reconfigure the US approach to the Middle East, they believe Syria could be the key to the puzzle, the New York Times reports. More»

Secretary of State wants to see 'real progress on the ground'

(NEWSER) - Condoleezza Rice returned to Jerusalem today to push for progress on Israeli/Palestinian peace talks, al Jazeera reports. Rice says she plans to focus on improving movement through the West Bank. “I would like to see real, concrete progress on the ground,” she said. Palestinians say Israeli checkpoints are choking their economy, but Israel deems the checkpoints necessary to counter terror attacks. More»