Peace dead in the water?

Now that George Mitchell has resigned as Obama's envoy to the Middle East to work on a peace accord between the Palestinians and Israelis, there has been much speculation on why he resigned and why now? Two years in the job and with no success, even remote, Mitchell resigns on the eve of Obama's much touted up coming speech be made on the Middle East and the Israeli PM's imminent visit to the US.

Ma'an News Agency reports on what it says is the reason for Mitchell's resignation. If the report is correct it is not only troubling but would suggest that whatever the rhetoric and PR Obama won't be pressing Netanyahu to yield in any peace accord.

"A political adviser to the late president Yasser Arafat issued a statement Tuesday, alleging that US Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell resigned because of the "extreme bias" of his deputy Dennis Ross.

Bassam Abu Shareef said Ross obstructed all US initiatives aiming to achieve progress in the peace process, and blamed the deputy's bias for Mitchell's resignation Saturday.

Abu Shareef said senior American officials informed him that Mitchell viewed the appointment of Ross a step to obstruct the peace process. He added that Mitchell believed Ross was working against US interests.

The official paraphrased comments he said were made by Mitchell during a meeting, where he asked: "How can Dennis Ross assist in the peace process when he refuses to meet with the Palestinians, when he despises their leadership and hates their president?"

Abu Shareef also said Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "rejects peace," and would have no part of a Palestinian state with Hamas in its leadership.

"This means they are opening war on Palestinians and their nation," he added. "

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