Annapolis Peace Conference

In November 2007 representatives from over 40 countries gathered in Annapolis, Maryland, for the first major Israel-Palestine peace talks in seven years. The two sides issued an ambitious and optimistic joint statement signed by Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas. The Israeli and Palestinian leaders committed themselves to negotiate a peace treaty by the end of 2008 – and set a deadline for ending the conflict.

The International community expressed relief that negotiations for a two-state solution were back on the agenda, but expectations of success are moderate. Hamas, controlling Gaza (and thereby 40% of the population) since June, was not invited to the conference and, further, the agreement shied away from making concrete commitments on the major issues which divide the two sides. These include those that affect the work and patients of the Eye Hospital - the borders of a Palestinian state, Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and the final status of Jerusalem.