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Last update - 21:19 17/04/2009
Mitchell: A Palestinian state is a U.S. national interest
By Haaretz Service
Tags: George Mitchell, Israel News 

United States special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell met on Friday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who told him the Palestinian people expect the U.S. to press Israel to carry out its diplomatic obligations in regard to the peace process.

After the meeting, held in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mitchell said that the founding of a Palestinian state is a national interest of the United States. He specified that the United States is hoping the Arab peace initiative will play a role in bringing a Palestinian state to fruition.

Mitchell also said that a two-state solution is the only solution to the Middle East crisis.
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Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said that Abbass stressed to Mitchell the Palestinian desire to bring a freeze in settlement building and said that Israel if does not accept previously agreed to diplomatic initiatives, it will only serve to strengthen extremists on both sides.

Mitchell is also expected to meet Friday with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayed.

Mitchell's talk in Ramallah come after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- who opposed Israel's unilateral 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, arguing that it would stoke Hamas hostility - stated he wants talks with the Palestinians to focus on security and economic matters for now, not sovereignty.

In meetings with Israeli leaders on Thursday, Mitchell stressed Obama's commitment to the goal of a two-state solution, "in which a Palestinian state is living in peace alongside the Jewish state of Israel", ending the decades-old conflict.

"That is our objective. That is what we will pursue vigorously in the coming months," Mitchell said

An Israeli official said Netanyahu also told Mitchell that any negotiations on a two-state accord should be conditioned on the Palestinians recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat dismissed that demand as part of an effort by the two-week-old Israeli government to dodge commitments made by its predecessor to negotiate thorny issues such as statehood borders, and the future of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.

The Palestinians are themselves unable to present a united front as Hamas refuses to accept permanent coexistence with Israel and is shunned by Western powers as a terrorist group.

Hamas won a Palestinian legislative election in 2006, forming a unity government with Fatah that was dissolved by Abbas after the Islamists seized control of Gaza in 2007.

Egypt has been trying to arrange a new factional alliance after brokering an end to the Gaza war, which killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians and 13 Israelis, most of them troops.

Haniyeh, who was formerly prime minister under Abbas, hailed the conflict as a "big victory".

"Hamas is a big movement, the Palestinian resistance factions are deeply rooted among the people," he told reporters.

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      1.   The Arabs are unwilling to make any concession. 18:03  |  Mario Sala 17/04/09
      2.   mitchell is not kissinger 18:05  |  harzion 17/04/09
      3.   I do not know what the dope is smoking 18:49  |  Mark Lincoln 17/04/09
      4.   UN Security Council Resolution 242 doesn`t suggest a "two-state.. 18:54  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 17/04/09
      5.   Arabs pathethic tactics 19:02  |  Frank 17/04/09
      6.   harzion 19:08  |  potobac 17/04/09
      7.   Doesn`t a Similar Version of This Already Exist? 19:09  |  Eli 17/04/09
      8.   Abas:"US must pressure Israel" 19:16  |  Christopher 17/04/09
      9.   Jordan is 78% of "Palestine" (Phillistineh) mandate; its populati 19:21  |  Jae 17/04/09
      10.   US to pressure Israel 19:34  |  Eric Port 17/04/09
      11.   The Jews are unwilling to give up any piece of stolen land 19:58  |  American 17/04/09
      12.   Abbas the Trojan Horse. 20:09  |  Akram Zekaria 17/04/09
      13.   US pressure; Israel policies 20:23  |  WHG 17/04/09
      14.   Pressure should be countered 20:55  |  Brod 17/04/09
      15.   Netanyahu`s Focus on Security 21:00  |  Mark of Lewiston 17/04/09
      16.   Palestinian State in US Interest 21:42  |  JW 17/04/09
      17.   Mitch`s message 22:03  |  Goldberg 17/04/09
      18.   The One-State Solution is best for all. 22:13  |  Lou Medel 17/04/09
      19.   Brod, Israel should reject the likes of you... 22:15  |  BBSNews 17/04/09
      20.   # 1 22:20  |  J K 17/04/09
      21.   We will be happy to stop using our veto power in the UNSC 22:28  |  binny 17/04/09
      22.   #6 Mark - don`t forget Area C 22:34  |  binny 17/04/09
      23.   Carrots and sticks 22:42  |  BazMann 17/04/09
      24.   How is another terror state in U.S. interests? 22:50  |  McQueen 17/04/09
      25.   a very foolish declaration 22:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/04/09
      26.   Walled in Prison #4 23:03  |  Joshua 17/04/09
      27.   What Mitchell said must be music to the ears of Ben Laden ! 23:07  |  Akram Zekaria 17/04/09
      28.   14 Binny - One Step at a Time 23:20  |  Mark of Lewiston 17/04/09
      29.   19 joshua: That`s why it should have been negotiated 23:24  |  binny 17/04/09
      30.   9 JW - Undoing Bush Damage in Gaza 23:29  |  Mark of Lewiston 17/04/09
      31.   Cipora Julianna Kohn 23:38  |  TonyL 17/04/09
      32.   c j k 23 23:38  |  potobac 17/04/09
      33.   3rd intafada 00:01  |  ben 18/04/09
      34.   #32, potobac 00:06  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/04/09
      35.   IF a Palestinian state is REALLY a US national interest 00:09  |  Mark Lincoln 18/04/09
      36.   29 Binny - Mistaking Cause and Effect 00:09  |  Mark of Lewiston 18/04/09
      37.   So it is agreed 00:29  |  Chris Linthwaite 18/04/09
      38.   Palestinians mor than anyone deserve self determination! 00:31  |  American 18/04/09
      39.   #18 American has no money, jsut a 20 trillion dollar dept 00:38  |  sigh AMerica 18/04/09
      40.   U.S. national interest colliding with Israels....???? 00:52  |  Swiss (Dino) 18/04/09
      41.   So give the Palis 3 states. Michigan, Illinois and Maine. 00:53  |  disgusted american 18/04/09
      42.   Is certainly is not 01:03  |  An American 18/04/09
      43.   The arabs are too big of babies to admit that they were conquered 01:05  |  Gosia 18/04/09
      44.   Cipora hates being wrong... 01:12  |  BBSNews 18/04/09
      45.   US and Israel 01:12  |  D.C. Tapley 18/04/09
      46.   U.S. To Press Israel? 01:45  |  Brad 18/04/09
      47.   Mitchell`s fantasy state 01:51  |  Brod 18/04/09
      48.   Finally 03:56  |  Bill 18/04/09
      49.   Muslim Perspective on the Islamic Zionist Conflict (#1) 03:58  |  Steve 18/04/09
      50.   #40/DC Taply 03:58  |  Deacon2 18/04/09
      51.   Islamic-Zionist Conflict (#2) 03:59  |  Steve 18/04/09
      52.   Islamic-Zionist Conflict (#3) 04:00  |  Steve 18/04/09
      53.   The U.S. stands with Israel and your defense. 04:05  |  Jason 18/04/09
      54.   BBSnews comments this thread 04:06  |  Stephen in New York 18/04/09
      55.   US interests 04:09  |  izi 18/04/09
      56.   #43, bs news 04:11  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/04/09
      57.   Binny - Pals demand the Jews be expelled 05:07  |  Reid 18/04/09
      58.   43~BBSNew "Cipora hates being wrong" 05:12  |  Akram Zekaria 18/04/09
      59.   a nightmare scenario 05:17  |  Capt Ahab 18/04/09
      60.   Obama/Mitchell not dropping Israel 05:22  |  Reid 18/04/09
      61.   One-state solution! 05:24  |  David 18/04/09
      62.   cjk 48 05:36  |  potobac 18/04/09
      63.   LETS WORK TOGETHER TO FORCE ISRAEL TO LEAVE 05:57  |  indrajaya 18/04/09
      64.   Breaking News - Obama Wins! 06:35  |  Mark of Lewiston 18/04/09
      65.   Cipora Julianna Kohn re: BBS News 06:46  |  TonyL 18/04/09
      66.   I Really Don`t Care Anymore 06:47  |  Andrew Clark 18/04/09
      67.   #59, Mark of Lewiston 07:08  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/04/09
      68.   I Agree!!! 07:15  |  Andrew Clark 18/04/09
      69.   Oh. My. Goodness. Andrew. Clark... 07:25  |  BBSNews 18/04/09
      70.   Islamic-Zionist Conflict (Part 3) second try 07:52  |  Steve 18/04/09
      71.   Riiight, George, and the tooth fairy is coming! 07:55  |  Mark 18/04/09
      72.   #29 Abbas does not represent the West bank 07:58  |  Joshua 18/04/09
      73.   Islamic-Zionist Conflict- Part 1. (second try) 08:07  |  Steve 18/04/09
      74.   Eli - depends what you mean by a blockade 08:19  |  Palestinian Brit 18/04/09
      75.   David - that`ll be the day! 08:24  |  Palestinian Brit 18/04/09
      76.   I Care (Response to #63) 08:27  |  Steve 18/04/09
      77.   64 Cipora - Not a Problem for Me 08:27  |  Mark of Lewiston 18/04/09
      78.   But Mr. Mitchell: The Land Belongs To Israel 08:41  |  Steve 18/04/09
      79.   Lessons from Gaza 08:47  |  Steve 18/04/09
      80.   Too Bad... 08:49  |  Yosemite 18/04/09
      81.   A Fatah legislator?s recent claim : 08:58  |  Mario Sala 18/04/09
      82.   Palestinian state 09:06  |  Albrecht Klein 18/04/09
      83.   #39 sigh America 09:34  |  jeff 18/04/09
      84.   winner to-day looser to-morrow 10:07  |  just facts 18/04/09
      85.   #25Ciprah,foolish indeed,Mitchel should have stated, a 2 state s 11:03  |  Susanna/Shoshana 18/04/09
      86.   Upon further reflection,Mitchell means what he says,it is in U.S. 11:41  |  Susanna/Shoshana 18/04/09
      87.   Obama 11:44  |  The Teacher/Instruct 18/04/09
      88.   Good move. Now make the 1967 borders US national interest. 12:35  |  jens 18/04/09
      89.   U S National interest 13:03  |  Robert of Jerusalem 18/04/09
      90.   Lies from Washington on US National interest! 13:15  |  An enraged bystander 18/04/09
      91.   Netanyahu and Sun City 13:25  |  American Patriot 18/04/09
      92.   72 13:32  |  virtu 18/04/09
      93.   can any of these clever posters tell us all what obama has ever 13:37  |  v hardman 18/04/09
      94.   "Palestinian state US interest". Maybe in Texas then. 14:18  |  Realist 18/04/09
      95.   #56 Cipora J. Kohn 15:58  |  Ari ben Yisrael 18/04/09
      96.   Re Steve, Lessons from Gaza 16:07  |  Jennifer 18/04/09
      97.   Now time for the joke on Mitchell ! 16:13  |  Akram Zekaria 18/04/09
      98.   #91 V Hardman 16:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 18/04/09
      99.   More butt kissing from Obama`s administration 16:44  |  Nechama 18/04/09
      100.   Reid and salivating crowds... 16:46  |  BBSNews 18/04/09
      101.   No it is not of national interest to to US!That`s another of dc`s 16:52  |  glenna 18/04/09
      102.   The national interest of "THE USA" not Israel 17:00  |  labhras 18/04/09
      103.   Enraged bystander has a One State point... 17:12  |  BBSNews 18/04/09
      104.   #96 lintwit as usual cant read the question!!! 17:19  |  v hardman 18/04/09
      105.   Obama upsets little Victor... 17:36  |  BBSNews 18/04/09
      106.   #102..BBS News 18:05  |  Malone 18/04/09
      107.   Palestinians? Just say NO! 18:26  |  Robert Rowley 18/04/09
      108.   79 Steve of Mevaseret Tsiyon - Wrong Lesson 19:06  |  Mark of Lewiston 18/04/09
      109.   Jennifer #95 Lost in outer space 19:17  |  Steve 18/04/09
      110.   Clueless in Lewiston (#108) 19:28  |  Steve 18/04/09
      111.   Steve in la la land 22:43  |  Jennifer 18/04/09
      112.   Gaza in the 19th century (continued) 23:16  |  Steve 18/04/09
      113.   c j kohn 56 17:55  |  potobac 20/04/09
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