Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., November 20, 2008 Cheshvan 22, 5769 | | Israel Time: 15:20 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File
Comments:  134
Last update - 00:00 16/11/2008
Top Obama aide denies report president-elect will back Arab peace plan
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Brent Scowcroft, Israel News 

A senior adviser to Barack Obama on Sunday denied reports that the U.S. president-elect plans to throw his weight behind the 2002 Arab peace plan, which calls for Israel to withdraw from all territories captured during the 1967 Six-Day War in exchange for normalized ties with the Arab world.

The British Sunday Times said Obama expressed this sentiment during his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories last July.

Dennis Ross, Obama's adviser on Middle East policy, issued a statement Sunday, saying "I was in the meeting in Ramallah. Then-senator Obama did not say this, the story is false."
Advertisement
The Times cited a senior adviser who quoted Obama as telling Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas: "The Israelis would be crazy not to accept this initiative. It would give them peace with the Muslim world from Indonesia to Morocco."

According to the Times, Obama, who is due to take office as the U.S. president on January 20, has been urged by leading bipartisan figures in the American foreign policy establishment to embrace the plan, which was first proposed by Saudi King Abdullah in an interview with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman.

Among those who have reportedly lobbied the incoming president in favor of the plan are Lee Hamilton, the former co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group; Zbigniew Brzezinski, who served as national security adviser during the Carter administration; and Brent Scowcroft, who was national security adviser to President George H.W. Bush.

According to the Times report, the advisers say Obama should use the first six to 12 months of his presidency so as to utilize the good will afforded by the initial honeymoon period to push for a deal.

Given the geopolitical predicament of Arab states, who are fearful of the rise of Islamic radicalism as well as the specter of Iran's growing power, advisers believe the first year of an Obama presidency would be ripe for a breakthrough, according to the Times.

Though initially skeptical, Israeli leaders have been warming to the Arab initiative as a possible avenue to solve the impasse with the Palestinians. President Shimon Peres told world leaders on Wednesday at an interfaith dialogue in New York that the Arab peace initiative must be seriously considered as "a serious opening for real progress" in Middle East peace.

With elections looming, Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni and Labor chairman Ehud Barak are jockeying for the support of left-wing voters, with part of the focus being their disagreement over the Arab League's peace initiative.

The Arab peace initiative, first approved by the Arab League in 2002 in Beirut (and reaffirmed last year), calls for Israel's withdrawal from all the territories and a solution to the refugee problem in exchange for an Arab recognition of the end to the conflict and normalization between Israel and all the Arab countries.

Barak, the defense minister, has proposed that Israel use the peace initiative as a basis for negotiations, to smooth the way for both the Palestinians and the Syrians to make concessions. He also assumes that Israelis are willing to make concessions in exchange for a comprehensive peace.

Peres also supports this view, although his position as head of state precludes his taking an active role in the political discourse.

Related articles:
  • The initiative still stands
  • Livni: Israel not counting on Obama in peace talks
  • Olmert aides 'flabbergasted' by Livni coolness to Syria talks
  • ANALYSIS / No leader before Olmert has explicitly called for return to '67 borders
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    The King is dead
    Archeologists find new evidence for King Herod's tomb site.
    Al-Hasbara
    Israel launches Arabic YouTube channel to bypass Arab media.
      1.   If this is True There will be No Peace 03:37  |  Ralph Levy 16/11/08
      2.   Israel MUST accept 03:53  |  Joey 16/11/08
      3.   I hope they can agree 03:56  |  Man in usa 16/11/08
      4.   To Be Expected 03:58  |  Tod Zuckerman 16/11/08
      5.   With one stipulation... 04:02  |  David K 16/11/08
      6.   BETTER DEAL - ISRAEL JOIN THE U.S. 04:04  |  Barry S. Roffman 16/11/08
      7.   peace and obama 04:06  |  michael perry 16/11/08
      8.   Jews and the mistakes they make 04:06  |  Connie 16/11/08
      9.   OBAMA IS COMING, A MAN OF HIS WORDS 04:08  |  indrajaya 16/11/08
      10.   Don`t Fear 04:12  |  Allon 16/11/08
      11.   Don`t fear 04:12  |  Allon 16/11/08
      12.   Do they speak for Iran, Hezballah and Hesballah etc?? 04:13  |  PETER SM 16/11/08
      13.   Arab peace = oxymoron 04:22  |  Arie 16/11/08
      14.   saudi peace plan 04:23  |  salam cantor 16/11/08
      15.   What Have I Been Saying? 04:25  |  crlman 16/11/08
      16.   67 lines cannot be defended = all the hilltops 04:25  |  Free Gilad Shalit 16/11/08
      17.   No worries 04:35  |  Oleg 16/11/08
      18.   What a truckload of garbage 04:41  |  Steve G 16/11/08
      19.   Of course, haaretz will sing the praises of breszinski 04:42  |  Arie 16/11/08
      20.   Holy Cow! Do You Guys Realize What This Means? 04:43  |  Yosemite 16/11/08
      21.   Obama`s views on Israel were to be expected 04:44  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/11/08
      22.   What a joke. 04:52  |  Atoo Landarv 16/11/08
      23.   It`s time to divide J`lem 04:53  |  POP 16/11/08
      24.   Lee hamilton joins carter in blaming America`s ills on Jews 05:05  |  Arie 16/11/08
      25.   full peace and normalization with all Arab states?? 05:14  |  vik 16/11/08
      26.   Trust 05:15  |  Bill 16/11/08
      27.   I Doubt Any of This 05:17  |  Ron 16/11/08
      28.   # 21, CIPORA JULIANA KOHN 05:21  |  indrajaya 16/11/08
      29.   The Left will be Gone in three months 05:22  |  Ralph Levy 16/11/08
      30.   #5 David-With 3 more Stipulations 05:22  |  DK 16/11/08
      31.   ENOUGH IS ENOUGH 05:25  |  IsraFan 16/11/08
      32.   # 25 Vik 05:35  |  Ralph Levy 16/11/08
      33.   To Israel`s apologists: for once use your brain! 05:38  |  Ben Alofs 16/11/08
      34.   The Sunday Times - consider the source 05:43  |  Mark Lincoln 16/11/08
      35.   If not Arab peace proposol than 05:44  |  A1 16/11/08
      36.   Barack Hussein Obama`s 06:02  |  baba lalou 16/11/08
      37.   Obama - appeaser and stage hand 06:03  |  Gregor 16/11/08
      38.   Perhaps he is right. 06:10  |  sandra chitayat 16/11/08
      39.   Accept previous agreements? 06:12  |  mqk 16/11/08
      40.   It`s not crazy if Israel prefers stealing Arab land to peace 06:20  |  peacelover 16/11/08
      41.   Cipora do you never consider the source? 06:21  |  Mark Lincoln 16/11/08
      42.   indrajaya 06:22  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/11/08
      43.   To Bill about `trust` 06:26  |  Arie 16/11/08
      44.   I doubt Obama agreed to that... 06:29  |  Malone 16/11/08
      45.   Peace with regimes or the populace? 06:31  |  Joe 16/11/08
      46.   to David K 06:51  |  Mario 16/11/08
      47.   IT`S NOT THE `ISRAELI`S` WHO NEED A LESSON ON PEACE 06:58  |  dp 16/11/08
      48.   Step by step destruction of Israel 07:10  |  Joey 16/11/08
      49.   Cipora on Obama`s "sell out"... 07:28  |  BBSNews 16/11/08
      50.   Unless Obama has the resolve, he should forget it 07:31  |  Natallie Durson 16/11/08
      51.   No kidding, hey? 07:34  |  Johnboy 16/11/08
      52.   #16 A quick question for you, FGS 07:40  |  Johnboy 16/11/08
      53.   Arie, Israel still occupies Gaza... 07:54  |  BBSNews 16/11/08
      54.   So much crooked reasoning on this talkback...! 07:58  |  Esther 16/11/08
      55.   Mark #34 08:03  |  Esther 16/11/08
      56.   Here we go again. Another American newbie 08:35  |  Bennie 16/11/08
      57.   I agree with 46 08:44  |  EHA 16/11/08
      58.   # 53, ESTHER 08:48  |  indrajaya 16/11/08
      59.   what peace plan is this ?arabs dont recognise israel? 08:51  |  victor hardman 16/11/08
      60.   Relax, the sky isn`t falling 09:02  |  Chicken Little 16/11/08
      61.   # 42, CIPORA JK 09:04  |  indrajaya 16/11/08
      62.   #48, bs, "terrorist recruitment worldwide" 09:16  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/11/08
      63.   Here we go again--good times 09:17  |  No dope 16/11/08
      64.   Is OBAMA the reason for the beginning of the Third Word War? 09:20  |  Dagma 16/11/08
      65.   I have no doubt that Obama likes the "Arab peace plan", BUT..... 09:30  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/08
      66.   to all you israelis that "don`t trust america" 09:33  |  william 16/11/08
      67.   #41, Mark Lincoln 09:38  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/11/08
      68.   To Chicken Little # 57 - Israel has No Time to Relax 09:40  |  Dagma 16/11/08
      69.   #36 Baba lou re Alan Keyes 09:45  |  mike 16/11/08
      70.   # 65, SWISS (DINO) 09:55  |  indrajaya 16/11/08
      71.   #60 Chicken Little 09:57  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/11/08
      72.   #66 William: Your lies and distortion 10:08  |  Yacov 16/11/08
      73.   Israelis will be crazy not to accept this deal! 10:26  |  Bedouin 16/11/08
      74.   # 65 to "Swiss" Dino-It`s time for a change 10:42  |  Swiss-Martin 16/11/08
      75.   # 70 indrajaya, sorry but I have to disagree..... 10:45  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/08
      76.   Obama also said he believes in an undivided Jerusalem 10:55  |  SDHD 16/11/08
      77.   Johnboy still doesn`t understand what "non-negotiable" means 10:57  |  SDHD 16/11/08
      78.   BSNews doesn`t know what an occupation is 10:58  |  SDHD 16/11/08
      79.   The only question that will remain: 11:02  |  Andreas 16/11/08
      80.   # 74 "Swiss-Martin" 11:18  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/08
      81.   # 75, SWISS (DINO) 11:37  |  indrajaya 16/11/08
      82.   Joey #2 11:54  |  mariapalestina 16/11/08
      83.   # 34 Mark Lincoln, I`m afraid you got it slightly wrong here.... 11:55  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/08
      84.   #41 Mark Lincoln and the source 12:58  |  Labhras 16/11/08
      85.   # 81 indrajaya 13:01  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/08
      86.   #21 Kohn it is about time the US reduced it,s support 13:10  |  Labhras 16/11/08
      87.   #51 Johnboy re PETER SM 13:27  |  Labhras 16/11/08
      88.   # 34, MARK LINCOLN 13:34  |  indrajaya 16/11/08
      89.   ML and Dino arguing: the two mavens: who will win? 13:37  |  x-ray 16/11/08
      90.   #31 Isra Fan does that apply to nut and yahoo 13:39  |  Labhras 16/11/08
      91.   what if israel withdraws, gets more missiles? 13:59  |  doron 16/11/08
      92.   #67 Cipora JK....Rumors, he said, she said, 14:04  |  Lynn 16/11/08
      93.   POP.Who is offering Peace? as in Peace? The govt of Palestine? 14:05  |  PETER SM 16/11/08
      94.   B.ALOFS Use your loaf doc.When your Pals say PEACE 14:09  |  PETER SM 16/11/08
      95.   We were already there...before 1967. 14:59  |  Rachel 16/11/08
      96.   #87 Too true, Labhras 15:08  |  Johnboy 16/11/08
      97.   #70 Indy...H Clinton would be a good choice 16:25  |  Lynn 16/11/08
      98.   #86 libellous labars and not ahope in hell now russia is flexing 16:32  |  victor hardman 16/11/08
      99.   Obama has to throw his weight on the ECONOMY 16:37  |  * BEN JABO 16/11/08
      100.   Racist Settlers and land grabbers should not hold peace hostage! 16:45  |  Noam 16/11/08
      101.   # 97, LYNN 17:16  |  indrajaya 16/11/08
      102.   #86 Paul harris aka Victor Hardman from TA 17:44  |  Labhras 16/11/08
      103.   Attacking President Barack Hussein Obama 17:46  |  Lou Medel 16/11/08
      104.   Politics as public theater 18:37  |  US Observer 16/11/08
      105.   no thanks 18:42  |  alan 16/11/08
      106.   33 Ben Alofs 18:47  |  Jose Marcio 16/11/08
      107.   Agree Conditionally 18:48  |  HARRY D 16/11/08
      108.   It is sad to notice that most peoples are simply not well ... 18:51  |  Jean Van Daem 16/11/08
      109.   This will only work IF (?) 19:30  |  hindy 16/11/08
      110.   Johnboy, just a quick answer 20:06  |  Free Gilad Shalit 16/11/08
      111.   Obama has done all the talk, Let`s just see 23:05  |  * BEN JABO 16/11/08
      112.   Dennis Ross: story is false 23:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/11/08
      113.   Sunday Times caught lying 16:51  |  Free Gilad Shalit 17/11/08
      114.   At least The Times is consistent 17:49  |  MichaelF 17/11/08
      115.   oBama tella arabs what they want to hear. Tells Jews what we 17:55  |  Avram 17/11/08
      116.   A Death Plan 18:31  |  MIKE CATO 17/11/08
      117.   Saudi Arabia *IS* A Radical Islamic State 19:41  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 17/11/08
      118.   The Sunday Times and its bile libel. 21:30  |  Stephen. 17/11/08
      119.   Obama cannot be cajoled like the WASP`s 21:39  |  American 17/11/08
      120.   #112 kohn-- BFOS -Goes with the flow. 21:53  |  Labhras 17/11/08
      121.   BARAK DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ALL ISRAELIS! 23:01  |  Dagma 17/11/08
      122.   What does the Saudi Initiative Really Say 04:22  |  Reid 18/11/08
      123.   What does the Saudi Initiative Really Say II 04:25  |  Reid 18/11/08
      124.   What does the Saudi Initiative Really Say III 04:39  |  Reid 18/11/08
      125.   Holy Cow! 05:14  |  Jasper 18/11/08
      126.   Cipora`s views on Obama were to be expected 06:00  |  Morris Valentine 18/11/08
      127.   What is going on here? 06:01  |  Jasper 18/11/08
      128.   Questions on Saudi "Peace Plan" 06:21  |  Brad 18/11/08
      129.   Saudi`s are hardly impartial 06:39  |  * BEN JABO 18/11/08
      130.   Meanwhile the REPORT HAS BEEN DENIED! 08:36  |  Dagma 18/11/08
      131.   #130 And yet how odd, Dagma... 13:05  |  Johnboy 19/11/08
      132.   #129 No Shit, BEN JABO? 13:26  |  Johnboy 19/11/08
      133.   #128 I can answer, Brad.... 13:35  |  Johnboy 19/11/08
      134.   #132 Hohnboy - getting desperate I see 15:54  |  * BEN JABO 19/11/08
     Read & React
    Israel to boycott 'Durban II' anti-racism conference
    Responses: 98
    Latest poll gives Likud big edge over Kadima
    Responses: 51
    Peres: Evacuation of settlements may lead to civil war
    Responses: 32
    IAEA: Syria site bombed by Israel bore features of nuclear reactor
    Responses: 56
    Defense Min. turns blind eye as Israelis sell arms to enemies
    Responses: 18


    More Headlines
    14:15 MKs urge legal action as settler violence erupts in Hebron
    10:10 ANALYSIS / Obama embrace of Arab peace plan could benefit Livni
    14:53 Barak: West must reconcile with Russia, China to unite against Iran
    09:25 Defense Min. turns blind eye as Israelis sell arms to enemies
    13:28 IDF envisions army of animal robots for rescue missions, military ops
    11:58 In Gaza coffee shops, men and women break strict taboos
    12:00 Letter to the Editor / Museum of Tolerance is a beacon of light, not a wall
    13:30 VIDEO / Peres warns evacuation of settlers may lead to civil war
    03:31 Latest poll gives Likud big edge over Kadima
    13:29 Palestinians to publish first-ever ads in Hebrew explaining Arab peace plan
    08:16 IAEA: Syria site bombed by Israel bore features of nuclear reactor
    15:15 Abdullah II warns Olmert, Barak: Gaza action could snowball into Jordanian instability
    22:05 Israel to boycott 'Durban II' anti-racism conference
    08:00 Top media executives protest Israel's ban on journalists' entry to Gaza
    12:24 Palestinian witnesses: Hamas man killed in Gaza explosion
    02:07 Warsaw completes restoration project marking Jewish Ghetto boundaries
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dan Boutique Jerusalem
    New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online!
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Car rental in Israel
    Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates.
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved