MEET THE PANEL Name: Abdullah Qaffa Age: 27 Lives: Gaza Works: Student

The United States has been a partner in the process before and we didn't get anything positive then.

There is no clear agenda for the conference; we don't even know the date or which countries will be involved.

The timing is also strange. Why didn't the US start this process earlier, when Arab nations were asking for it?

Peace is not possible now that Israel has declared Gaza a "hostile territory". How can we believe Israel wants peace when they do that?

I think this is all for an American agenda.

Why should Palestinians accept Israel when they don't accept us?

The US is in a critical situation in the Middle East - especially in Iraq.

They are using the Palestinians to try to get regional partners on board ahead of their next challenge - dealing with Iran.

I think Israel also has a hand in the timing. Israel is scared of Iran and wants the US to protect them.

I don't think Israel will be honest. They will try to negotiate a peace to their standards, not a fair peace.

Plus, the US is encouraging the split between the Palestinians by supporting Abu Mazen [Palestinian Authority president and Fatah leader], instead of encouraging him to sit with Hamas and make peace among Palestinians.

I don't think the US wanted the Palestinians to have a unity government, because they are against Hamas. They should give Hamas a chance.

Israel should first accept the United Nations resolutions.

Israel exists - I don't hide away from this. But why should Palestinians accept Israel when the Israelis don't accept us?

MIDEAST CONFERENCE VIEWS Jonathan, Israel Ayman, West Bank Abdul, Saudi Arabia Faisal, Syria Nadim, Jordan Gilad, Israel Abdullah, Gaza

My grandparents were forced to leave what is now Ashdod [a town in Israel]. I would still like to see the place one day.

I want to be able to live in a Palestinian state and to travel freely.

We have been talking about peace for nearly 60 years, but our situation has been getting worse.

We lost so many things at Oslo, [the peace accords in 1993]. It gave a green light to the Israelis to continue building settlements - and not give the Palestinians their rights.