Power Line Blog: John Hinderaker, Scott Johnson, Paul Mirengoff
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Anomalous in Annapolis

Last July President Bush announced the regional peace conference to be chaired by Secretary Rice and attended by representatives from nations that support a two-state solution, reject violence, recognize Israel's right to exist, and commit to all previous agreements between the parties. I thought it be an extremely small meeting.

We knew the conference was to occur in Annapolis. Now a date has finally been set, and the State Department has issued an annoucement:

On November 27, the United States will host Israeli Prime Minister Olmert, Palestinian Authority President Abbas, along with the Members of the Quartet, the Members of the Arab League Follow-on Committee, the G-8, the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and other key international actors for a conference at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Secretary Rice will host a dinner the preceding evening here in Washington, where President Bush will deliver remarks. President Bush and the Israeli and Palestinian leaders will deliver speeches to open the formal conference in Annapolis.

And Secretary Rice has issued enough invitations to make it a big party:

Algeria
Arab League Secretary General
Bahrain
Brazil
Canada
China
Egypt
EU Commission
EU High Rep
EU Pres Portugal
France
Germany
Greece
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Lebanon
Malaysia
Mauritania
Morocco
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Poland
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sudan
Sweden
Syria
Quartet Special Envoy Tony Blair
Tunisia
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
UNSYG
Yemen

Observers:
IMF
World Bank

I don't think I was wrong to say that if a regional conference was limited to those who reject violence, recognize Israel's right to exist, and commit to all previous agreements between the parties, it would be a small meeting. Between July and November, something gave. Syria, for example, is still in a state of perpetual war with Israel. The Palestinian Authority itself doesn't recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. As Bret Stephens notes:

Among the principles sharply in dispute is whether Israel is a Jewish state. "We will not agree to recognize Israel as a Jewish state," says Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, adding that "there is no country in the world where religious and national identities are intertwined."

Noah Pollak comments (and wonders):

It's a relief to see that Pakistan has been invited — certainly right now the Pakistani government is ideally positioned to give its undivided attention to Palestine. If al Qaeda takes Islamabad between now and the conference, will Condi withdraw the invitation? And perhaps the Syrians will pledge to only kill three Lebanese politicians for the remainder of the calendar year. Could Iraq be called upon to redirect some of its contractors rebuilding schools in Anbar to rebuild the schools in Nablus, so they may again one day teach nine-year-olds to worship suicide murder? Will the Sudanese offer their Janjaweed commandos to conduct West Bank counterterrorism seminars?

Let the processing begin.

PAUL adds: Scott's post highlights the futility of "Annapolis." But its mischief extends well beyond wasted time. As Bret Stephens points out, both the Palestinians and the Israelis justifiably fear that a meeting that yields no agreement (as is nearly certain to be the case with this one) will "weaken the Palestinian camp, strengthen Hamas and cause violence."

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