Palestinian President Abbas (L), U.S. President Bush, and Israeli Prime Minister Olmert (R) meet at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. (Omar Rashidi, Maan Images)

2:14 pm EST:

U.S. President George Bush read a "joint understanding" reached today by the Israelis and Palestinians. It pledges to reach an agreement by the end of 2008.

In regards to this statement, the Palestinian side is looking towards its concrete implementation. They are concerned about three key points: 1) that 2008 marks not just an end point for negotiations, but an end to the occupation; 2) that outside pressure and a monitoring method be put into place to ensure that Israel is held accountable for its violations of international law and that the international community will hold Israel responsible if it does not fulfill its obligations by the end of 2008; and 3) that the resolution to the conflict will be based on law and not on power.

Read Abbas' speech at Annapolis.

11:56 am EST

Tense negotiations continue to focus on the American request for a joint Palestinian/Israeli declaration. The Palestinian team – before coming to Annapolis and since arriving – has been pushing for three major issues to be included in any statement: 1) a timeline for implementation; 2) guarantees of international involvement; and 3) clearly stated terms of reference, including international law, United Nations resolutions and the Roadmap to Peace. Israel has rejected all three.

At 5:30 AM EST today Palestinian negotiators informed American officials that they would not accept a joint declaration that does not reflect these three principles. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is said to be speaking separately with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to convince him to accept a draft statement.

Also at issue, the statement is said to include acknowledgment of the Jewish nature of the Israeli state. Palestinian negotiators have rejected the inclusion of this in a draft statement because it would seem to nullify the internationally guaranteed right of Palestinian refugees to return to the homes and lands from which they were forced to leave or fled in fear during Israel’s creation. It also seems to grant international legitimacy to systematic discrimination against the roughly 20 percent of Israel’s population who are not Jewish.