Madeline Albright Visits the Muqata’a
Today, the former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright showed up at the Muqata’a — the Palestinian Presidential compound where Yasser lived under seige for the last years of his life, and where he is now buried in a recently-inaugurated mausuleum built of Jerusalem stone — apparently to say hello to the present Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Albright was greeted by Palestinian negotiator Sa’eb Erekat, who kissed her on both cheeks in front of a phalanx of Palestinian television cameramen. Former Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Qudwa, who was also formerly Palestinian Ambassador to the UN at the same time that Albright was U.S. Ambassador to the UN, was also in the Presidential office at the beginning of Albright’s visit.
What was she doing there? Just saying hello? No, Albright must have had some kind of mission. Ramallah these days is not just a place you stop by. Has Albright been enlisted by her colleague Condoleeza Rice to help advance the Israeli-Palestinian direct negotiations? Did Albright bring any ideas, proposals, or suggestions? Rice and Albright meet on a regular basis, a U.S. State Departement spokesman told journalists recently.
Palestinian-Israeli direct negotations are due to start on a new path in about a week. A U.S. Special Envoy/Annapolis Arbiter, General Jim Jones, is also due in the region shortly. And, it has just been announced that U.S. President George Bush is coming in January — he is expected in Jerusalem and in Ramallah from 10-13 January, to help push the Annapolis process forward…
