The U.S. special envoy for the Middle East, George Mitchell, plans to resign, according to U.S. government sources quoted by AP and Reuters. Mitchell led the unsuccessful effort of the Obama Administration to restart direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. A government source quoted by Reuters said that the resignation of the veteran mediator, who in 1998 chaired the negotiations leading up to this Good Friday peace accords in Northern Ireland, will be announced by the White House this Friday.
According to AP, the alleged cause are personal reasons. Apparently, there is still no imminent plans to replace Mitchell. His team will remain in place, at least temporarily. The departure of U.S. envoy is a major setback to peace in the Middle East. Since coming to government, the Obama Administration has tried to resume negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Last September, Mahmoud Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu resumed direct talks in Washington, a historic event. However, obstacles such as Israeli settlements in Palestine, have returned to stall the peace talks, which are now at a more critical following the agreement between Fatah and Hamas. Mitchell's imminent resignation comes just a week before the expected Obama speech on the Middle East, which as announced by the White House will be next Thursday at the State Department, and Netanyahu's visit to Washington scheduled on 20 May.
The president's speech will refer to the processes of civil unrest in the Maghreb and the Middle East and the U.S. response to these developments, said the White House spokesman, Jay Carney. Be added, a "fairly exhaustive and inclusive discourse on what we have been privileged to witness since January, when the first signs began to demand more democracy in Tunisia and Egypt. 
According to AP, the alleged cause are personal reasons. Apparently, there is still no imminent plans to replace Mitchell. His team will remain in place, at least temporarily. The departure of U.S. envoy is a major setback to peace in the Middle East. Since coming to government, the Obama Administration has tried to resume negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Last September, Mahmoud Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu resumed direct talks in Washington, a historic event. However, obstacles such as Israeli settlements in Palestine, have returned to stall the peace talks, which are now at a more critical following the agreement between Fatah and Hamas. Mitchell's imminent resignation comes just a week before the expected Obama speech on the Middle East, which as announced by the White House will be next Thursday at the State Department, and Netanyahu's visit to Washington scheduled on 20 May.
The president's speech will refer to the processes of civil unrest in the Maghreb and the Middle East and the U.S. response to these developments, said the White House spokesman, Jay Carney. Be added, a "fairly exhaustive and inclusive discourse on what we have been privileged to witness since January, when the first signs began to demand more democracy in Tunisia and Egypt.
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