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Tzipi Livni meeting with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in Tel Aviv on Thursday. (AP)
Last update - 09:28 21/04/2007
PM Olmert invites Jordan's King Abdullah II to visit Israel
By Shahar Ilan and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents, and News Agencies

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has invited Jordan's King Abdullah II to visit Israel as Arab governments and Israel edge toward new discussion of an Arab peace proposal, officials said on Friday.

No date has been set for the visit by the monarch, Israeli and Jordanian officials said.

"His Majesty is ready to engage in any effort that helps to bring about the success of the Arab initiative and the setting up of a Palestinian state," a source in the Jordanian royal palace in Amman told Reuters.
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The Prime Minister's Office said it had not yet received an official response from Jordan and gave no details on the plans for the visit.

King Abdullah II Thursday told a delegation of Knesset members that "we are in the same boat, we have the same problem. We have the same enemies." The king reiterated the comments a number of times, which those at the meeting said referred to Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas.

Abdullah also emphasized that he spoke not only for Jordan but for a group of states in the region. The king asked at one point: "Do you want Iran on the banks of the Jordan?"

Former Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin said in response: "I have seen Jordanian openness that does not hesitate to scold extremist Muslims." MK Shlomo Breznitz said that the comments raise the first hope that moderates plan to set the tone in the Arab world. "The style and daring are new," he said.

The king made the comments at his palace in Amman in a meeting with Acting Israeli President Dalia Itzik and Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi, as well as six additional lawmakers. The Israeli delegation attacked a mention of an Arab right of return, saying there is no Israeli who will agree to that and it would be like asking Israel to commit suicide.

The king responded again and again that everything would be consensual. He claimed the Arab peace plan is not a plan but talking points. After Rivlin said the Arab League secretary commented "Take it or leave it," Abdullah said "Leave him to me." He did say that instead of talking about he right of return, it might be necessary to talk about the right to compensation, and that it was not only an Israeli problem, but also a problem of the wealthy Arab countries.

Abdullah said Thursday that Israel must accept the Saudi peace initiative.

The king called on Israel to "adopt the Arab initiative as the basis for negotiations with the Palestinians and not to miss this historic opportunity for recognition by all the countries of the region and true integration into the region." He added: "I worry about the generations to come. This is an unparalleled opportunity and I have taken it upon myself to influence the people of Israel."

The palace announcement emphasized that the Knesset delegation was invited as part of the king's diplomatic efforts to jumpstart the peace process. The Arab League has decided to appoint Jordan and Egypt to take the lead in approaching the Jewish state to promote the Arab peace plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Israeli delegation was impressed with Abdullah's frankness but said he demands too high a price.









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  1.   Dont get the article contradictory????? 08:32  |  wally 19/04/07
  2.   I agree with #1. A strange contradiction. 09:55  |  Vittorio 19/04/07
  3.   it is a proxy order 12:04  |  VIPER 19/04/07
  4.   only obstacle 12:41  |  Armando Vargas 19/04/07
  5.   Talk to all 12:46  |  Armando Vargas 19/04/07
  6.   #1, #2 have reading comprehension problems 12:46  |  Martin 19/04/07
  7.   no Iran War 12:56  |  Armando Vargas 19/04/07
  8.   Victim 13:03  |  Armando Vargas 19/04/07
  9.   # 3 there is already a war 13:15  |  Lynn 19/04/07
  10.   # 5 Would be nice 13:19  |  Lynn 19/04/07
  11.   # 7 Iran and war 13:21  |  Lynn 19/04/07
  12.   # 8 VT student 13:22  |  Lynn 19/04/07
  13.   what does the return of refugees mean? 15:20  |  roberta 19/04/07
  14.   #5 I Agree 15:42  |  Benjamin 19/04/07
  15.   #9, LYNN, wrong once again 15:47  |  VIPER 19/04/07
  16.   #13, roberta 15:49  |  VIPER 19/04/07
  17.   Fundamental condition for Arab-Israeli peace 16:02  |  MG 19/04/07
  18.   # 15 I want peace as much as anyone 16:13  |  Lynn 19/04/07
  19.   # 13 right of return 16:16  |  Lynn 19/04/07
  20.   # 17 How right you are 16:18  |  Lynn 19/04/07
  21.   Flexibility 16:25  |  Shiny_Orb 19/04/07
  22.   Fundamental condition for Arab-Israeli peace 16:36  |  Omran 19/04/07
  23.   I still can`t figure it out... 16:40  |  Richard S 19/04/07
  24.   # 22 Omran 17:08  |  Lynn 19/04/07
  25.   Fundamental condition for Arab-Israeli peace (#22 Omran) 17:19  |  MG 19/04/07
  26.   to uragay-s americans - stop coming to USA 17:45  |  ross 19/04/07
  27.   Israel as part of the region 17:47  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  28.   #22 Omran - why are you so fixated 17:59  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  29.   Oh VIPER DEAR. Your wisdom increases from message to message. You 18:03  |  People of the World 19/04/07
  30.   Saudi plan - basis for talks 18:06  |  Ricardo kolbe 19/04/07
  31.   Olmert 18:06  |  alex 19/04/07
  32.   Israel MUST accept...: nice way of discussing. 18:09  |  Guido 19/04/07
  33.   #5 Armando Vargas - Uruguay 18:13  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  34.   #7 Armando Vargas 18:16  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  35.   # 1 Viper - be a realist 18:18  |  Bill 19/04/07
  36.   To Shiny Orb and Omran 18:28  |  Alex 19/04/07
  37.   TAKE ADVANTAGE 18:30  |  JAMAL 19/04/07
  38.   #35 Bill - There was a two state solution 18:37  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  39.   No war means no PEACE 18:41  |  emad matahin 19/04/07
  40.   #37 Jamal - Take advantage or being taken 18:43  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  41.   Abdullah`s being ADAMANT 18:55  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  42.   BEN JABO Uruguay women are not poor anymore now 18:56  |  Tamir Gaza 19/04/07
  43.   Roberta - Right of Return 19:00  |  Ernie 19/04/07
  44.   All for naught if. . . . 19:01  |  MichaelF 19/04/07
  45.   #11 - Lynn 19:06  |  MichaelF 19/04/07
  46.   Saudi Arabia Peace Proposals 19:09  |  Ronald W. Ginson 19/04/07
  47.   #19 -- Lynn 19:11  |  MichaelF 19/04/07
  48.   #42 - Tamir Gaza 19:14  |  MichaelF 19/04/07
  49.   Now I understand it`s the way the Saudi`s say please 19:18  |  Shepherd 19/04/07
  50.   MichaelF read my post again 19:25  |  Tamir Gaza 19/04/07
  51.   #38 BEN JABO 19:27  |  Moury 19/04/07
  52.   Jamal respond 19:31  |  jamal 19/04/07
  53.   * BEN JABO - 3 States? 19:45  |  Ernie 19/04/07
  54.   Lynn # 18 19:49  |  Gina 19/04/07
  55.   #42 Tamir - Gaza, London - Make up your mind. 19:51  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  56.   #42 MichaelF 19:52  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  57.   #50 Tamir - Gaza, London & who knows where 19:56  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  58.   BEN JABO I don`t take your seriously either 20:03  |  Tamir Gaza 19/04/07
  59.   #51 Moury 20:03  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  60.   Arab inititive 20:09  |  James 19/04/07
  61.   agree with # 49 20:15  |  Dik 19/04/07
  62.   Right of return? 20:17  |  Z 19/04/07
  63.   It is Israel`s interest to strive for peace with the Arabs 20:37  |  George 19/04/07
  64.   there is a swat of jordanian territory that is currently 20:45  |  George 19/04/07
  65.   NO to Saudi crap 21:01  |  Brod 19/04/07
  66.   #59 BEN JABO 21:01  |  Moury 19/04/07
  67.   To #64 21:07  |  Randy 19/04/07
  68.   #27 Ben Jabo 21:35  |  Randy 19/04/07
  69.   #51 Moury 21:46  |  Randy 19/04/07
  70.   Ben Jabo 21:53  |  Randy 19/04/07
  71.   using a "COMPROMISE" as a "BASIS?" for "DIALOUG" 22:26  |  Joker 19/04/07
  72.   Israel don`t be a scape goat... 22:48  |  dzone 19/04/07
  73.   RE:Qualify of Peace 23:00  |  TBART 19/04/07
  74.   Abdullah: `..truly become part of the region..` 23:19  |  Chick Corea 19/04/07
  75.   # 69 Randy 23:25  |  Moury 19/04/07
  76.   Saudi Plan BAD and Fatah ALSO Terrorists 23:28  |  Loudly Proclaim 19/04/07
  77.   #66 Moury - don`t you understand 23:51  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  78.   #70 Randy - I really don`t give a hoot 23:42  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  79.   #58 Tamir - I wonder did you 23:59  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/07
  80.   # 48 Michael 00:07  |  Lynn 20/04/07
  81.   # 64 George 00:09  |  Lynn 20/04/07
  82.   jewish refugees from arab states 00:29  |  nadav 20/04/07
  83.   #17. well said!