Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., March 25, 2007 Nisan 6, 5767 | | Israel Time: 16:52 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Print Edition
Diplomacy
Defense Opinion National Arts & Leisure Anglo File Sports Travel  
Magazine Week's End
Q&A
Business Underground Jewish World Real Estate Advertising  
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa (AP)
Last update - 18:41 20/03/2007
Arab League Chief calls on Israel to present its own peace initiative
By The Associated Press

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa urged Israel on Tuesday to be more proactive in restarting the stalled Mideast peace talks following the creation of a new Palestinian unity government.

The Fatah and Hamas movements agreed to form the new government three days ago, but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has refused to deal with the government until accepts international demands that it recognize Israel, renounces violence and abide by past peace deals.

Israel's stance puts it at odds with the U.S. and the European Union, who have signaled a willingness to deal with moderate members of the new government, while continuing to condition the resumption of direct financial aid on acceptance of the three conditions.

Advertisement

"We expect an offer by Israel," Moussa told reporters after talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul-Ilah al-Khatib. He did not provide details on the kind of initiative the Arab League hopes for from Israel.

"In so far as peace is concerned, we fail to see any offer, any serious talk of peace," he said of Olmert's government. "What we see is the same old policy of building settlements, procrastination, of resorting to tricks one after the other in order to waste time."

Moussa was in Jordan - on the second leg of a regional tour - ahead of an upcoming Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on March 28-29, where regional leaders hope to build momentum for a resumption of the peace process with Israel based on the 2002 Saudi peace initiative.

The initiative calls for peace between Israel and Arab nations for the return for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 boundaries as well as an agreed solution to the Palestinian refugee problem in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194.

Moussa said the Arab League summit in Riyadh would not reintroduce the initiative, but rather reaffirm the measure and Arab commitment to it.

Israel has rejected the initiative but in recent weeks said it could support it with some amendments.

But Moussa ruled out any revisions to the plan. "We are not ready to enter into any changes or any futile discussion about the contents of the initiative," he said.

"The Arab initiative is supported by the European Union, the United States, and all other international powers," Moussa said. "Only Israel is trying to avoid it as much as it can and is trying to get some support from some countries."

Moussa later met Jordan' King Abdullah II at an Amman hilltop palace and praised the monarch's efforts to put the Middle East peace process on the right track, according to a royal palace statement.

Abdullah stressed the importance of the Arab peace initiative, which he said demonstrates the Arab will and seriousness to achieve peace with Israel in the coming political phase.

Bookmark to del.icio.us
Taxi driver
The appearance of a Jewish friend ruins an attempt to have a chat with an Arab driver.
The wail
The image of every Arab leader Israel tries to dwarf gradually assumes tremendous heft.
  1.   give back hostages - then we can talk peace 16:58  |  ross 20/03/07
  2.   Middle Estern Arab reasoning: If their offer is non-negotiable... 17:04  |  Chanan 20/03/07
  3.   Why not appear devoted to peace? 17:09  |  robert 20/03/07
  4.   here is isreli peace offer 17:12  |  wh 20/03/07
  5.   Here you go 17:13  |  Gili 20/03/07
  6.   This is a good idea...Israel should present its own peace plan 17:14  |  Fas 20/03/07
  7.   Israel time to step up 17:21  |  GZLives 20/03/07
  8.   Chana #2 17:25  |  Bill 20/03/07
  9.   Reply to Ross # 1 17:28  |  christa 20/03/07
  10.   Is this so COMPLICATED FOR THE Arabs 17:47  |  M 20/03/07
  11.   CREATE CLIMATE FOR PEACE 17:48  |  B 20/03/07
  12.   The spolights are getting hot 17:48  |  Danite 20/03/07
  13.   Who wants Peace Christa ? 17:49  |  GZLives 20/03/07
  14.   Fair enough! 17:58  |  Nathaniel 20/03/07
  15.   There is so much wrong with the Arab plan 18:03  |  Kipperraes 20/03/07
  16.   M - You`re are joking right? 18:09  |  Fas 20/03/07
  17.   response to Gil # 18:11  |  Kipperraes 20/03/07
  18.   #2 Chanan - offer IS negotiable, during negotiations 18:12  |  Pablo B 20/03/07
  19.   Christa #9: Absence of plan does not mean lack of desire 18:16  |  Ben 20/03/07
  20.   This is a joke 18:17  |  KUTW 20/03/07
  21.   DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT ?? 18:22  |  paul harris 20/03/07
  22.   #15 Kipperraes - flaws are where negotiations begin 18:25  |  Pablo B 20/03/07
  23.   Israel Will Simply Not Do This 18:30  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/03/07
  24.   KUTW 18:33  |  Fas 20/03/07
  25.   paul harris 18:35  |  SAm 20/03/07
  26.   It is much easier for the US and EU 18:46  |  Jon 20/03/07
  27.   Somebody better do something 18:48  |  Lynn 20/03/07
  28.   How`s This For Starters 18:54  |  Peter 20/03/07
  29.   24. Fas 18:59  |  KUTW 20/03/07
  30.   Arabs don`t want to admit to the West they reject Jewish state 19:06  |  Sam 20/03/07
  31.   Peace What? 19:07  |  Mary 20/03/07
  32.   Id 19:10  |  Edward 20/03/07
  33.   How to present a peace plan 19:16  |  Karl Enright 20/03/07
  34.   thats a good one 19:25  |  evelyn-the christian 20/03/07
  35.   no talking to terror 19:32  |  jon purizhansky 20/03/07
  36.   Yaakov, 19:33  |  Jimbo 20/03/07
  37.   Continued Arab Cleverness is Backfiring 19:40  |  Dave Levy 20/03/07
  38.   Jimbo on making peace #36 20:02  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/03/07
  39.   What crap! Israel`s Plan outline has been extremely well known... 20:05  |  Dr. L. Brnd 20/03/07
  40.   Arab League politics 20:08  |  Sam 20/03/07
  41.   Israel has been very forthcoming 20:13  |  Yonatan 20/03/07
  42.   Israel needs to present a counter-offer 20:14  |  Moises 20/03/07
  43.   Gili from Montreal Canada?? 20:15  |  Sam (UK) 20/03/07
  44.   Israel is at it again 20:19  |  Double Click 20/03/07
  45.   A question to Amr Moussa 20:26  |  Michael O. 20/03/07
  46.   KUTW 20:32  |  Fas 20/03/07
  47.   Peace with Arabs means security against attack 20:34  |  Chick Corea 20/03/07
  48.   Arab Chief on the Right Track but Not Double Click 20:41  |  Brad 20/03/07
  49.   #1 same petty tricks... 20:51  |  Ah 20/03/07
  50.   Double Click Double ridiculous 20:53  |  GZLives 20/03/07
  51.   Chick Corea - So your answer is perpetual war 20:56  |  Dan 20/03/07
  52.   A Non Negotiable solution , 21:15  |  Joseph E . 20/03/07
  53.   Negotiate Changes to Arab Peace Plan 21:38  |  AA 20/03/07
  54.   Release Hostages 1st Recognize Israel 2nd Then... 21:38  |  Jane 20/03/07
  55.   46. Fas 21:42  |  KUTW 20/03/07
  56.   Arab League Chief calls on Israel to present its own peace initia 22:03  |  Hami 20/03/07
  57.   The Arabs of Eretz Israel (Palestinian Arabs) could not adhere to 22:08  |  Nadav 20/03/07
  58.   The Palestinensians have the better gouvernement 22:16  |  Fritz 20/03/07
  59.   Arab offer 22:20  |  Alyn Starkman 20/03/07
  60.   arab league 22:38  |  DOV KORET 20/03/07
  61.   Arab plan????? 22:40  |  Louise 20/03/07
  62.   #51 Dan Arabs call for war not Israel. Israel just wins them. 22:41  |  Chick Corea 20/03/07
  63.   Nadav 22:45  |  Danite 20/03/07
  64.   Reply to No 1 22:47  |  Abe 20/03/07
  65.   #25 SAM IN A PICKLE !! SEES THE FUTURE HIS WAY !! 22:48  |  paul harris 20/03/07
  66.   #51 Dan Part II 22:55  |  Chick Corea 20/03/07
  67.   #23 Israel will simply not do this - Sullivan 23:05  |  Sharonelle 20/03/07
  68.   #57 - Nadav 23:10  |  Sharonelle 20/03/07
  69.   Israel Doesn`t Want Peace It Is As Simple As That, 23:10  |  Proud Canadian 20/03/07
  70.   F#58 Fritz "The Palestinians have better government 23:17  |  Sel 20/03/07
  71.   why not peace? 00:19  |  robert 21/03/07
  72.   #51 Dan Part III The 3 Rules of War with Arabs Bush Doesn`t Know 00:23  |  Chick Corea 21/03/07
  73.   Negotiate away Israel`s land! Why? 00:39  |  DRS 21/03/07
  74.   Reply to # 63- If you are truly a son of Dan 00:47  |  DRS 21/03/07
  75.   Arab League 00:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/03/07
  76.   proud canadian 01:26  |  alan.... 21/03/07
  77.   They`ll Never Do It 01:26  |  Bryan 21/03/07
  78.   #69 - ABSURB but Proud Canadian 01:39  |  Double Click 21/03/07
  79.   Israel could do it until it`s blue in the face 01:43  |  garrick 21/03/07
  80.   Judea and Samara for peace? Not likely 01:43  |  Jason 21/03/07
  81.   Easy: kick out the palestinians and build the 3rd temple 01:51  |  Moshe 21/03/07
  82.   #75 Cipora 01:52  |  Bryan 21/03/07
  83.   PLAN: a coalition of sane Israelis and Palestinians 02:14  |  AA 21/03/07
  84.   #82, Bryan 02:49  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/03/07
  85.   Reply to M #10 06:24  |  Bill 21/03/07