Annapolis Talks Start Today

And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:2-4)

Will this meeting be the start of a long dreamed prophecy? Associated Press writers Amy Teibel and Mohammed Daraghmeh write that this will be the first time that Israel and the Arab states and others will sit down to relaunch a peace process. America is pressing for them to release a joint paper today or tomorrow covering the final borders, Jerusalem and the Palestinian refugees who left in 1948.

Israel wants to release a broader statement about the two states living in peace besides each other. It has promised to negotiate these issues after the conference.

Condoleezza Rice has visited the two groups eight times this year and could not bridge the gaps that are monumental. Yet she hopes that it will happen after the conference.

Tuesday Olmert will tell the large group that if they want a peace deal they have to stop the attacks of the terrorist Hamas group which continues to shell Israel from Gaza. Syria is attending only to get to talk about getting the Golan Heights back that they lost when they attacked Israel in 1967.

Everybody says they are optimistic about the plans. Hamas does not agree.