U.S. PUSHES ISRAEL FOR FINAL STATUS TALKS

U.S. Pushes on Israel in Order to Increase Turnout at Middle East Conference - Steven Erlanger
By pushing Israel to accept immediate negotiations with the Palestinians on the thorny "final status" issues, with the aim to conclude a peace settlement within a year, the Bush administration is trying to attract a significant Arab presence at the peace conference in Annapolis, a meeting now penciled in to start Nov. 26 and last less than 24 hours. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's main concession so far: to agree to have final-status negotiations with Abbas before the road map first stage is carried out. (New York Times)

SO MUCH FOR THE ROAD MAP, CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES, A CESSATION OF TERRORISM OR ANY CONCESSIONS FROM THE PALESTINIANS.  LET'S GO RIGHT TO THE BIG PRIZES!!