Palestine Papers

Former Obama envoy George Mitchell comes out as 'Israel's lawyer'

While he held the job of President Barack Obama’s peace process envoy, former US Senator George Mitchell generally maintained a good reputation. He came into the job with high regard because of his role in Northern Ireland. During his Middle East tenure, Mitchell was notoriously tight-lipped, allowing people to believe that behind the stony face was a tough and fair “honest broker” who would privately take Israel to task in ways that the US could not do publicly. 

Palestinian officials who decry Gilo colony in public, offered it to Israel in negotiations

Palestinian officials in Ramallah have condemned Israel’s recently announced decision to expand by 1,100 Jewish-only housing units the illegal settlement of Gilo built on land stolen from the occupied West Bank villages of Beit Jala, Beit Safafa and Sharafat. But what they say in public is at odds with their private willingless to hand the settlement over to Israel in its entirety. Condemnation from “chief negotiator” A 27 September press release states: