Can Annapolis Host Mideast Peace by Scott MacLeod

Published: October 8, 2007, 5:55 pm

TIME10/6/07Can Annapolis Host Mideast Peace?Scott MacLeodYou could read the Bush administration's choice of Maryland for next month's Middle East peace conference as a good omen. Jimmy Carter's Camp David talks in 1978 produced the historic peace deal between Israel and Egypt. On the other hand, Bill Clinton's gathering at the presidential retreat in 2000 broke down in failure and triggered Israeli-Palestinian warfare. Little wonder that leaders from the region are approaching the latest Maryland summit planned for Annapolis this time rather than history-burdened Camp David with caution and skepticism.Indeed, key Arab governments are deeply concerned that the Bush administration will turn the peace conference into a "photo-op," which they believe could backfire against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and boost his militant rivals in the Islamic Hamas group, leaving the Middle East in a bigger mess. Senior Arab sources in several Middle East capitals tell TIME that they are

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