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U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. (Reuters)
Last update - 23:19 13/11/2007
Rice: Israelis are prepared to give up West Bank for peace
By Grig Davidovitz, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press
Tags: Condoleezza Rice 

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday she believes that the majority of Israelis are prepared to give up the West Bank in exchange for peace.

Rice made the comments at the final panel of the yearly General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities (GA), in Nashville Tennessee, which ended Tuesday.

Rice added that Israelis must be prepared for difficult and painful sacrifices to some of their longest-held aspirations during upcoming talks with Palestinian leaders.
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Rice did not specify what sacrifices might be needed but added that the Palestinians must also be prepared for sacrifices. "The threat from violent extremists means that failure of the talks is not an option," she said.

"What is at stake is nothing less than the future of the Middle East," she added.

Rice expressed optimism ahead of the upcoming U.S.-hosted Annapolis summit planned for the end of November, and said that the situation in the past years had improved greatly. She maintained that Israelis believe today that the establishment of a Palestinian state could benefit Israel, and that most Arab states are not questioning whether Israel will exist, but rather what the conditions for peace are.

"In our view, the security of the democratic Jewish state required the creation of a responsible Palestinian state," she said. She suggested that the Palestinian state also could serve as a bulwark against the threat from violent extremists.

She praised President George W. Bush for realizing a Palestinian democracy was a necessary precondition for meaningful negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis.

"Some think that this focus on democracy backfired with the election of Hamas," she said. "I disagree with that conclusion. Hamas always had power. What it never had was responsibility for power."

"Hamas has chosen violence rather than responsible government," she said, "and for that reason it is isolated by the international community."

Rice said a two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians was more urgent than ever because of the threat from violent extremists in the Middle East, referring specifically to Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas and Iran.

"Iran is choosing to destabilize the Middle East, pursue nuclear capabilities and threaten our allies, especially Israel," she said.

She also warned that the mere thought of a nuclear Iran is unacceptable for the U.S., and should be unacceptable for the international community as well. She praised the Iranian people, maintaining that their leadership does not properly represent them - investing million in financing terror and developing nuclear weapons while the citizens of Iran are struggling to find jobs.

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      1.   To Mrs. Rice 22:26  |  Nat 13/11/07
      2.   Rice has her priorities bass ackwards 22:30  |  * BEN JABO 13/11/07
      3.   What a load of crap...most Israelis believe that the "west bank" 22:33  |  SLAVO 13/11/07
      4.   She goes back to Stanford, Bush to the ranch 22:40  |  rob 13/11/07
      5.   I`m not prepared to make peace with thugs... If its 22:40  |  jk 13/11/07
      6.   Israelis are frantically building settlements 22:41  |  www.kibush.co.il 13/11/07
      7.   Fear Not! 23:04  |  mikhail 13/11/07
      8.   Sounds like a fair exchange... 23:05  |  Jake 13/11/07
      9.   Rice - Let`s not forget 23:06  |  * BEN JABO 13/11/07
      10.   don`t give away God`s land.....if you want peace 23:10  |  m 13/11/07
      11.   The result of disastrous Bush policies 23:15  |  Ezzie 13/11/07
      12.   THIS IS THE WAR AT THE END OF TIME: THE NATIONS AGAINST JERUSALEM 23:17  |  John the gentile 13/11/07
      13.   Rice is now conducting Israeli foreign policy 23:19  |  Jonathan S 13/11/07
      14.   Who proclaimed Rice Israel`s PM 23:21  |  leo 13/11/07
      15.   Whine, whine, whine Ben Jabo/Josh 23:36  |  ballistic 13/11/07
      16.   Madame Secretary, Dr. Rice. 23:38  |  Stephen. 13/11/07
      17.   #3 Hey Slavo 23:40  |  ballistic 13/11/07
      18.   Israel has a problem 23:52  |  Sam 13/11/07
      19.   Well Ms. Rice...if so... 23:54  |  Dutch Dirk 13/11/07
      20.   Rice hasn´t heard the latest; Hamas´ll will take over the WB 23:55  |  Alicia 13/11/07
      21.   Israeli and Pal. visions of peace poles apart 23:55  |  Sam 13/11/07
      22.   Hermit, are you bluffing Dr.Rice? 00:04  |  Stephen. 14/11/07
      23.   Piece for Peace: The Black Plague 00:06  |  Rabbi Izzy Lahm 14/11/07
      24.   Ms.Rice, prepare America for 5 mill. Israeli-Jewish refugees TOO! 00:15  |  Alicia 14/11/07
      25.   Howdy John the Gentile 00:17  |  Bob the jey boy 14/11/07
      26.   ALL these people say the jews will always win because 00:19  |  Bob the jey boy 14/11/07
      27.   Run clock out on Bush/Rice; voters don`t back pressuring Israel. 00:20  |  Dr. L. Brnd 14/11/07
      28.   Fear no O`Islam for it is written 00:29  |  Soothsayer 14/11/07
      29.   #2Ben Jabo . You have got something right! 00:32  |  Maureen Ann 14/11/07
      30.   U.S. STATE DEPT. -SAUDI STOOGES 00:34  |  Ray 14/11/07
      31.   ballistic, RE "whine whine whine" 00:37  |  Jake 14/11/07
      32.   Why oh why 00:41  |  Mike 14/11/07
      33.   # ben jabber 00:45  |  Axel 14/11/07
      34.   RICE TO GA 01:00  |  Rich 14/11/07
      35.   RICE TO GA 01:00  |  Rich 14/11/07
      36.   Rice just as desperate as the other desperados... 01:01  |  bat yam 14/11/07
      37.   Civil War will be the result 01:08  |  ralphsrant1 14/11/07
      38.   A complete fool 01:12  |  BobUSA 14/11/07
      39.   #13 Hey Jonathan S 01:13  |  ballistic 14/11/07
      40.   #9 Oh Ben Jabo, more BS! 01:16  |  ballistic 14/11/07
      41.   ISRAEL BEST INTEREST 01:20  |  indrajaya 14/11/07
      42.   #14 Leo---Dubya did! 01:26  |  ballistic 14/11/07
      43.   Rice is not so nice 01:29  |  BB 14/11/07
      44.   #11 Yes Ezzie, it was predictable! 01:31  |  ballistic 14/11/07
      45.   Clueless in Annapolis 01:34  |  Dave the Christian 14/11/07
      46.   #17 Ballistic 02:04  |  Yossi 14/11/07
      47.   prepared 02:06  |  Shmuelshachor 14/11/07
      48.   RICE COMMENTS 02:08  |  SAM STEIN 14/11/07
      49.   #15 ballistic 02:21  |  David 14/11/07
      50.   Rice has no clue 02:27  |  Jerusalem Jew 14/11/07
      51.   To Leo in NY 02:27  |  MarkB. 14/11/07
      52.   Abbas betrayed Fatah in Gaza , 02:27  |  Joseph E . 14/11/07
      53.   Mrs Rice is a creadible official,but your life style determens 02:30  |  TOMY 14/11/07
      54.   IF Abbas had any responsibility for power , 02:31  |  Joseph E . 14/11/07
      55.   Because of threats from violent extremists in the Mideast 02:38  |  Joseph E . 14/11/07
      56.   Arabs must be prepared for difficult and painful sacrifices 02:44  |  Joseph E . 14/11/07
      57.   Rice beliefs and statements are a Spin to advance the Mischief 02:49  |  Joseph E . 14/11/07
      58.   #15 FRUITCAKE BALLISTIC 03:00  |  * BEN JABO 14/11/07
      59.   The Demise of Zionism Heralds the Dawn of a New Era of Peace 03:08  |  Mr. Knowitall 14/11/07
      60.   Talk back to Rice statement 03:12  |  Stanley Kruger 14/11/07
      61.   Israel taking over - already they have 1% 03:15  |  George Lechter 14/11/07
      62.   Israel needs to hold a referendum 03:27  |  Johnny Weintraub 14/11/07
      63.   Is America Going To Make Painful Sacrafices Too? 03:28  |  Yoram 14/11/07
      64.   No Palestinian state : Euphrates River 03:33  |  Brandon 14/11/07
      65.   Go, Condi, go! 03:36  |  Steve 14/11/07
      66.   PREMATURE PANIC 03:43  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/11/07
      67.   End to arab occupation will stop arab urban terror attrition 03:50  |  Joseph E . 14/11/07
      68.   Rice is absolutely wrong. Most Israelis aren`t prepared to cede 03:57  |  Chaim 14/11/07
      69.   jk #5 What an original idea! 04:01  |  Nechama 14/11/07
      70.   Israel 04:03  |  MichiganBeliever 14/11/07
      71.   It sounds underhanded 04:03  |  Nechama