US Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell plans to resign

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: AP news

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s special Mideast envoy, former Senator George Mitchell, plans to resign after more than two largely fruitless years of trying to press Israel and the Palestinians into peace talks, U.S. officials said.

The White House is expected to announce on Friday that the veteran mediator and broker of the Northern Ireland peace accord is stepping down for personal reasons, the officials told The Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the afternoon announcement. There are no imminent plans to announce a replacement for Mitchell, the officials said, although his staff is expected to remain in place at least temporarily.

Mitchell’s resignation comes at a critical time for the Middle East, which is embroiled in turmoil, and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which has been moribund since last September and is now further complicated by an agreement between Palestinian factions to share power. Obama is expected to deliver a speech next week about his administration’s views of developments in the region ahead of a visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ap-sources-us-mideast-peace-envoy-george-mitchell-plans-to-resign/2011/05/13/AF8n5Y2G_story.html

[smirkymonkey]

1. What a loss. All the good ones leave just to be replaced by

sociopaths.

[Jefferson23]

2. Perhaps one day he'll speak candidly about his two years on this.

I wish him well.