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Arab initiative, Israeli choice
By Akiva Eldar

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These harsh words were penned by an Arab who in the last year helped to lead the public relations campaign for a reconciliation between the Muslim world and Israel and ending the Arab conflict with the Jewish state. Al-Faisal, who was once chief of Saudi intelligence and served as the country's ambassador in Washington and London, lectures and writes unceasingly about the benefits of the Saudi peace initiative. In touting the plan, the prince is not deterred from publicly meeting with Israelis (including this author). Common sense tells us he is not doing this on his own volition.

Saudi Arabia is also pressing U.S. President Barack Obama to adopt the initiative, rendering the plan a litmus test for the Arab world's relations with the new administration. In his visit to the State Department the day after his inauguration, Obama made do with a few noncommittal words in praise of the Saudi initiative. Why should he get into trouble with the Jewish lobby in his first week in office? In any case, the return of the right wing to power in Israel would likely seal the initiative's fate when the topic is brought up for discussion next month at the Arab League summit in Qatar.

It is hard to blame Obama when every party jousting for power in Israel is hiding its position on the Saudi initiative behind vaguely worded statements. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last week boasted that he favors using the Saudi initiative as a framework for negotiations. In the same breath, he noted that UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, which are open to various interpretations, were bases for talks, while the Arab League declaration explicitly states that the June 4, 1967 lines are the basis for a settlement.

Olmert claimed that Ehud Barak, on the other hand, is shrouding his position on the initiative in a cloud of fog. Has Olmert been informed of a more lucid stance expressed by Tzipi Livni on the initiative beyond a throwaway comment from the summer of 2007, when she was quoted as saying that the Saudi plan is "a historic opportunity that must not be missed"? Like Olmert and Barak, the foreign minister also failed to lift a finger to advance the "historic opportunity." Israel's acceptance of the plan as a framework for negotiations would have compelled Hamas to decide whether it is part of the Arab consensus in favor of the initiative, or whether it is an Iranian satellite state that opposes it.

You may support the initiative and you are allowed to oppose it. Yet the Zionist parties who seek the trust of the voters cannot evade the most positive diplomatic outline ever offered to Israel by the Arabs. Each of the candidates must clearly state whether the government will accept or reject the initiative. In other words, what do the candidates prefer - forming a united front with 22 Arab states against Iran and its agents, or forming a united front with the settlers against the entire world?
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  1.   A rhetorical question 06:55  |  Michael N 26/01/09
  2.   does the saudi plan also offer free trips to mars ? 09:17  |  v hardman 26/01/09
  3.   Two "democracies" 09:21  |  Jim A 26/01/09
  4.   Can someone remind us please of what is the Saudi initiative? 09:26  |  Hastaroth 26/01/09
  5.   If Israelis really wanted peace...... 10:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 26/01/09
  6.   Face it, Mr. Eldar 10:31  |  sh 26/01/09
  7.   Negociations ? 11:16  |  Serge 26/01/09
  8.   What would Israel gain by the Saudi plan? 11:22  |  Natallie Durson 26/01/09
  9.   What about united front with Iran against sunni arabs? 11:45  |  Cookie 26/01/09
  10.   Amen, Mr. Eldar! The world respects Palestinian ancestral rights 11:52  |  Ivar 26/01/09
  11.   Iran 11:56  |  Dino 26/01/09
  12.   Saudi Plan is Non Starter 12:25  |  Baruch Gold 26/01/09
  13.   The Suadi Plan is DEAD ! 12:35  |  blame shame khraim 26/01/09
  14.   Arab initiative 12:49  |  palestinian 26/01/09
  15.   reply to number 5 12:55  |  rebecca 26/01/09
  16.   IVAR please tell us what the 9/11 terrorists "admitted" 13:18  |  PETER SM 26/01/09
  17.   re: What would Israel gain by the Saudi plan 13:18  |  Adrian 26/01/09
  18.   If It Were Only So 13:30  |  Jeff Northridge 26/01/09
  19.   THE Saudi plan has NO approval from Hamas,just NO peace ever 13:52  |  PETER SM 26/01/09
  20.   Ivar # 7 The "June 4th, 1967 Lines" (part 1) 14:00  |  Jeff Northridge 26/01/09
  21.   Author is being tricky 14:03  |  Proud Zionist 26/01/09
  22.   Ivar # 7 The "June 4th, 1967 Lines" (part 2) 14:11  |  Jeff Northridge 26/01/09
  23.   the Saudi plan would get more attention if it was more than - 14:25  |  ivo 26/01/09
  24.   Sunni vs Shia! You are dillusional 14:35  |  American 26/01/09
  25.   Israel Has No Intention of Accepting It 15:29  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/01/09
  26.   Baruch Gold and feggedabouit 15:34  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/01/09
  27.   Eldar proposes we allow Hamas to setup Katusha bases in Kalkilya 15:45  |  Tomer 26/01/09
  28.   No Palestinian State at sight! 15:48  |  Daniel 26/01/09
  29.   Isolation will bring peace! 16:02  |  Reuben 26/01/09
  30.   What do Israelis want ? 16:44  |  Open minded Pal 26/01/09
  31.   To Open Minded PAL 17:24  |  Eli 26/01/09
  32.   Saudi Peace Plan. 17:33  |  Ahmad Omar 26/01/09
  33.   What Palestinians want 17:34  |  Open-minded Pal 26/01/09
  34.   we stole it fair and square and you get nothing 19:33  |  Eli 26/01/09
  35.   #33 19:38  |  q 26/01/09
  36.   Reply to #18 (Jeff) - Grear Post, But Eldar Could Care Less 19:57  |  Tod Zuckerman 26/01/09
  37.   Open-minded Pal # 33 The One-State Solution Is Out 20:55  |  Jeff Northridge 26/01/09
  38.   Open Minded Pal - 2nd try 21:06  |  David Israel 26/01/09
  39.   Swiss (Dino) - Israel`s record speaks for itself - 2nd try 21:07  |  David Israel 26/01/09
  40.   Estonia and Israel, IVAR 22:19  |  fiona 26/01/09
  41.   Open-minded Pal, in other words .... 22:23  |  fiona 26/01/09
  42.   Let`s look at history 22:27  |  marcG 26/01/09
  43.   Only worth it if... 22:52  |  GHook93 -Zionist Jew 26/01/09
  44.   @ 15 22:59  |  GHook93 -Zionist Jew 26/01/09
  45.   Peter, #16, here is your verification re. the 9/11 motives 23:09  |  Ivar 26/01/09
  46.   If Israeli leaders don`t even talk about the Arab plan durring 23:37  |  Justis 26/01/09
  47.   67 borders Unreasonable Will Lead To More Wars 00:24  |  Baruch Gold 27/01/09
  48.   United Arab front versus Iran? Big Deal, Iraq had that- and lost 00:40  |  Dr. L. Brnd 27/01/09
  49.   Unintentionally funny "Ivar" #40 quotes David Duke as his source 00:52  |  Dr. L. Brnd 27/01/09
  50.   United front while they stab you in the back 01:05  |  McQueen 27/01/09
  51.   # 39 David Israel 01:40  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/01/09
  52.   Ivar, now it`s all clear 01:49  |  fiona 27/01/09
  53.   IVAR You claimed "9/11 terrorists, by their own admission" Where? 02:20  |  PETER SM 27/01/09
  54.   Akiva Eldar`s analysis is accurate, as the last statement reminds 02:34  |  Smadar 27/01/09
  55.   Unacceptable to Israel conditions will also not work 02:38  |  TonyL 27/01/09
  56.   Where does this leftist NAIVETY and racist condescension of arabs 03:06  |  Jae 27/01/09
  57.   "Open minded `Palestian`" 03:19  |  Jae 27/01/09
  58.   Who is the real enemy ?! 03:32  |  Akram Zekaria 27/01/09
  59.   If saudi was serious they would offer talks 03:56  |  bernard ross 27/01/09
  60.   Saudi Arabia will be our ally...After the revolution 04:08  |  UnitedSAUDI-STATES 27/01/09
  61.   open-minded Pal 04:15  |  jonas 27/01/09
  62.   Saudis make peace first with Israel than negotiate a final status 05:12  |  r 27/01/09
  63.   #4 Utter nonsense, Hastaroth 06:19  |  Johnboy 27/01/09
  64.   "r", Saudis offered viable plan, Israel offered carnage... 08:13  |  BBSNews 27/01/09
  65.   Open minded Pal 08:18  |  x-ray 27/01/09
  66.   #63 John the litle (stupid) boy,what is there to be negotiated 09:28  |  Hastaroth 27/01/09
  67.   Fiona, 52, judges a book by its cover, not content 12:39  |  Ivar 27/01/09
  68.   Fiona, Peter, Brnd, my repeated replies were blocked 13:37  |  Ivar 27/01/09
  69.   Peter, my links provide full details. My posts not coming thru 13:44  |  Ivar 27/01/09
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