Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., April 05, 2009 Nisan 11, 5769 | | Israel Time: 16:47 (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 Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 01:45 20/02/2009
George Mitchell: U.S. committed to Israel security, Palestinian state
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent

On the eve of his second visit to the Middle East this weekend, the U.S. administration's special envoy to the region George Mitchell told the heads of several U.S. Jewish groups on Thursday that the U.S. was committed both to Israel's security and to the establishment of a Palestinian state and that though the issue of Israeli settlements comes up in every conversation with Arab leaders, "it is not the only issue."

Among the participants in the conference call with Mitchell were Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; UJC representative rabbi Steve Gutow, executive director of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Ira Forman, Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC), representatives of J Street, Americans for Peace Now and others.

The U.S. envoy stressed that striking economic peace between Israel and the Palestinians, without diplomatic efforts, would not succeed, explaining that diplomatic and economic efforts "must be parallel, not sequential. You can't have economic development when you're shutting the door in the face of any diplomatic development."
Advertisement
"We had 700 days of failure in Northern Ireland [where Mitchell served as a central negotiator] and one day of success. I cannot guarantee you a result, but I can guarantee you an effort," he said, adding that "we have a firm and unshakable commitment to the security of the State of Israel, and a commitment to seek a lasting peace based on a two-state solution."

Mitchell announced that though he has no intention of postponing his planned trip to the region, he also plans to attend the March 2 Gaza Donors Conference in Cairo together with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for whom the trip would mark the first visit to the region in her current capacity.

The U.S. administration is waiting to see how the results of Israel's recent elections will take shape, Mitchell said, adding that when a new coalition emerges in Israel "we'll take up a full range of issues."

The Mideast envoy told the Jewish group leaders that on his way back from his first visit to the region, he was struck while reading the "Mitchell Report" he had written on the Middle East eight years ago how much has changed in that time. For instance, he said, Iran was not mentioned in that document, but the country was brought up in the "first sentence" of his initial meetings with every leader in the region. Today, he said, all the conflicts in the region are viewed through the Iran prism, and the U.S. administration will devise a "coordinated strategy that will take into account regional leaders concerns regarding Iran."

Ira Forman of NJDC said after the conference call: "Clearly they wanted to create an impression that this administration is really serious about an input from their constituency groups. I was impressed with their openness. He was comfortable with the role of the diplomat, he knew the politics of the region and he said more than once that two principles that this administration was talking about the unshakable firm commitment to peace process that ends up in a two state solution."

Ori Nir, the spokesman for Americans for Peace Now, voiced satisfaction over the the U.S. administration's frankness with the pro-Israel community in the U.S., saying "Mitchell's positive, hope-driven attitude must be commended."

"[U.S. President Barack] Obama's administration expects the incoming Israeli administration to abandon the campaign slogans and roll up its sleeves in order to seriously operate on the economic and diplomatic planes simultaneously," he said.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Israel's new policy
FM Lieberman: Israel not bound by Annapolis commitment for Palestinian state.
Netanyahu's cabinet:
An introduction to the faces - some old and some new - who make up Israel's new coalition.
  1.   I cannot wait 20:55  |  Student 19/02/09
  2.   Settlements Irrelevant 20:57  |  Baruch Gold 19/02/09
  3.   Israel was marked for destruction by 21:22  |  TOMY 19/02/09
  4.   Baruch Gold is wrong 21:29  |  Meir 19/02/09
  5.   More nonsense 21:29  |  Jim USA 19/02/09
  6.   Other issues 21:42  |  Gee 19/02/09
  7.   The settlements are the make-or-break issue 22:13  |  American 19/02/09
  8.   Let it be known #2 is named after the serial murderer Baruch Gold 22:47  |  Ali 19/02/09
  9.   Headline 23:43  |  george 19/02/09
  10.   Ali - it is customary to profer a rational argument 23:50  |  Elihu 19/02/09
  11.   Meir suggests a one state solution where 00:41  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 20/02/09
  12.   American, Jews are the make or break issue... 00:45  |  Dave from Chicago 20/02/09
  13.   #8 True or Not??? 00:53  |  Baruch Gold 20/02/09
  14.   Haaretz, why have you ignored my other posts.... 01:04  |  Dave from Chicago 20/02/09
  15.   US commitment to Israel-keep up the lip service 01:27  |  Sense 20/02/09
  16.   Yes,another "conference" to keep Gazans in perpetual beggarship 01:38  |  Alan SA 20/02/09
  17.   Sending an unsubtle message. 02:04  |  Johnboy 20/02/09
  18.   The photo: IDF dismantling road block on outskirts of Jerusalem.. 02:05  |  Maureen Ann 20/02/09
  19.   Reparations 02:58  |  utagawa 20/02/09
  20.   Regarding the roadblock picture... 02:59  |  Aphemia 20/02/09
  21.   Iran not mentioned 8 years ago (before Iraq war) 04:03  |  binny 20/02/09
  22.   The illegal settlements certainly are the cental issue 04:19  |  Yesh Prabhu 20/02/09
  23.   DON`T BE SO PROUD ABOUT YOUR ACHIEVEMENT BEFORE, GEORGE 06:50  |  indrajaya 20/02/09
  24.   The Charade Continues 09:38  |  Gangbusters 20/02/09
  25.   meeting 18:18  |  kenneth hill 20/02/09
 Haaretz Hot Topics
Air strike in Sudan
Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
Conflict in Gaza
Israel vs. Hamas
Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
More Headlines
14:03 Netanyahu: Peace policy to be set within weeks
15:19 Mazuz weighs indicting Olmert in Investments Center affair
08:46 Police: Lieberman probe likely to yield corruption charges
05:41 U.S. envoy: Arab peace initiative will be part of Obama policy
16:40 Saudi prince: Divisions among Arabs helped Iran's regional rise
12:15 Who are the 50 most influential rabbis in the U.S.?
11:38 This Seder night, spill some wine for Gaza's dead
11:13 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
16:36 Abbas seeks to mend Iraq ties in first visit since 2003 war
16:43 Record 20,072 Israelis filed for unemployment in March
15:26 Obama calls for nuclear-free world
11:45 IN PICTURES / Tel Aviv rocks the night away with centennial concert
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
Dead Sea Skin Care
Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
Camp Kimama Israel 2009
The best place for your children this summer
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
Site rules | Makom: Engaging on 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
/dclk.themarker.com/html.ng/site=Haaretz_Eng&adsize=1x1&hposition=7&hlayer1=1'>"); var dateInSecs = expDate.getTime(); var sixHrsFromNow = (1 * 30 * 60 * 1000) + dateInSecs - (2 * dateAdjustment); expDate.setTime(sixHrsFromNow); document.cookie = name + "=5;expires=" + expDate.toGMTString() + ";path=/"; } } function popupMain() { adverpopup("BannerArticleHaaretzEn"); }