Published in Babaganewz Magazine Adar Two 5768/March 2008

With hopes of securing a historic Mideast peace treaty by the end of 2008, President George W. Bush invited Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas (pictured at right) to a one-day summit in Annapolis, Maryland. Representatives from more than 50 countries, including 12 Arab foreign ministers, also attended the conference last November. Despite critics’ predictions that the Annapolis Summit would fail, President Bush spoke confidently about “resolving all outstanding issues, including core issues, without exception.”

CORE ISSUES

Four core issues lie at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute: final borders, status of Jerusalem, right of return of “refugees,”
and Israeli settlements. Even in the best political environment, each of these problems could single-handedly undermine peace efforts.

Click on the download below to learn about all the issues facing the negotiators.