Word: accordant
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Palestinians may still be celebrating the Mecca accord reached between rival factions of Hamas and Fatah to form a national unity government, but there is no such sentiment coming out of Washington. "Peace is not at hand," a senior U.S. official said today. But while the Bush Administration may view the deal as a setback for the prospects of Middle East peace, many observers think it is really a setback for U.S. influence in the region - especially its goal of isolating Hamas...
...Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk, now director of the Brookings Institutions' Saban Center for Middle East Policy, argues that the Mecca accord is a "considerable embarrassment" for Rice and a setback for her hopes of brokering Israeli-Palestinian talks that will lay the groundwork for the establishment of a peaceful Palestinian state. State Department officials said today that Rice still plans to travel to Jerusalem Feb. 19 for Israeli-Palestinian-U.S. trilateral talks with Abbas, [popularly known as Abu Mazen] and Israeli President Ehud Olmert...
...throw stones in Jerusalem -- against other Jews who violate the Sabbath. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra plays on, Zubin Mehta conducting, while Israeli soldiers sit on hilltops in southern Lebanon, training expensive, sophisticated observation devices on every Arab who moves -- which sadly is the chief sort of attention that Israelis accord Arabs. Israelis read books at an amazing rate (80 book- publishing houses issue more than 4,000 titles a year) and support four opera companies and twelve dance repertory companies and dozens of legitimate theaters. They love art and poetry and music. But guns are everywhere. That Israel has accomplished...
...factions is running abysmally low. Privately, Palestinians close to Hamas were doubtful that a deal can be reached and a deadly civil war averted. One Fatah Central Committee member told TIME that Haniyeh and Meshaal are convinced the Bush Administration is putting pressure on Abbas not to strike an accord with Hamas. "The key to a unity government lies with Abbas going against the U.S., which he won't do," the official said. After the talks in Mecca, Abbas is due to meet with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice...
...Mecca meeting, Hamas appeared to be showing flexibility. "We have no choice but to reach an agreement," Haniyeh said, without specifying if his militants would accept Israel's existence. Saudi backing for a Palestinian "unity" government, especially one that is ready to deal with Israel, would help sell the accord to other Arab countries, notably Egypt and Jordan...