Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., October 21, 2008 Tishrei 22, 5769 | | Israel Time: 12:30 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal. (AP)
Last update - 11:26 23/02/2008
Arab states threaten to rescind 2002 Saudi peace initiative
By The Associated Press
Tags: Saudi peace initiative 

CAIRO, Egypt - Arab officials are warning they could withdraw their landmark offer of peace and full ties with Israel in exchange for a return of Arab lands, unless Israel explicitly accepts the initiative.

The warnings reflect increasing Arab impatience with the long-stalled peace process with Israel. Peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have bogged down since they were relaunched at the U.S.-sponsored Annapolis peace conference last November after a seven-year hiatus.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal - whose country sponsored the Arab peace initiative, adopted by Arab nations in 2002 - warned Thursday that despair would force us to review these options, including withdrawing the proposal.
Advertisement
He accused Israel of sabotaging the initiative, which is now facing grave danger.

The Arab plan offers Israel full recognition by the Arabs and peace, in return for complete withdrawal from the lands Israel captured in the 1967 Six-Day War, as well as the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. It also calls for Palestinian refugees' right of return to their homes in Israel to be addressed.

Israel initially rejected the plan. Last year, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert praised the plan as showing a positive approach and said it would be taken into account in the peace process. But he stopped short of accepting it and rejected its call on refugees. Israel has also rejected the full withdrawal called for in the plan, hoping to hang on to several settlement blocs in the West Bank and to keep much of east Jerusalem, with its holy sites.

Arab leaders are planning to hold a summit in March in the Syrian capital, Damascus, at which they are expected to reiterate their adherence to the peace plan. But ahead of the gathering, they have stepped up their warnings it could be rescinded.

The head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, said the Arabs extended the hand of peace to Israel with the peace proposal but now face unprecedented Israeli obstinacy.

"The key to solving the Arab-Israeli issue is to hold serious negotiations, not fictitious ones," he said.

Moussa's deputy at the League, Mohammed Sobeih, accused Israel of putting the sole political initiative on the table at risk. "If Israel makes it fail, they [Arabs] have to search for other options," Sobeih told reporters on Friday.

Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been marred by ongoing Israeli construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, areas the Palestinians want for their future state, as well as by the near-daily rocket barrages into Israel from the militant Hamas rulers of Gaza and Israel's blockade of the coastal strip.

The struggling talks have thrown into doubt hopes expressed by all sides at Annapolis that a final settlement could be reached by December 2008.

Arab countries, including Syria, participated in the Annapolis gathering, hoping that it meant a strong U.S. commitment to push forward negotiations -and American pressure on Israel to make concessions. In recent weeks, several Arab leaders have expressed frustration with the talks.

Saud, whose country is a close U.S. ally, blamed Israel during a gathering of South American-Arab foreign ministers in Argentina on Thursday.

"It's unbelievable that we keep blaming the weak party in the equation, which is the Palestinian people, with all the suffering they live under, while ignoring what Israel does by expanding settlements, tightening the siege, humiliating the Palestinians and carrying out a mass punishment against them," al-Faisal said.

Egypt in particular fears a failure of the Palestinian-Israeli talks, worried this may boost the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and could eventually saddle Egypt with the responsibility for the Mediterranean area.

Egypt faced a tough test last month when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, blockaded in Gaza, streamed into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula after Hamas blew holes in the border wall.

The breach ended Israel's tight blockade of the coastal strip, imposed a week earlier in response to a spike in rocket attacks on Israeli border towns. Egyptian troops resealed the border 12 days later.

Related articles:
  • The Saudi initiative - normal relations for 1967 borders
  • PM: I'm ready to negotiate Saudi peace plan with Arab leaders
  • Arab League chief: We will not change Saudi peace initiative
  • Sources: Arab states may offer to repackage Saudi peace plan
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Saudi peace plan
    Barak says it may be time to pursue an overall peace deal for the region.
    Wiesel on Ahmadinejad
    Nobel laureate says president's UN speech shows world hasn't learned from Holocaust.
      1.   who cares? 01:42  |  vik 23/02/08
      2.   End Arab BS and make peace with Israel, no more lies 02:04  |  David 23/02/08
      3.   Arab Arrogance 02:11  |  Robert 23/02/08
      4.   Land for Peace, Pure Fantasy, 02:28  |  Stephen. 23/02/08
      5.   israel is playing with fire! it worked partially for 60 years,but 02:28  |  lakshmi 23/02/08
      6.   land for peace; Barbary Pirates? 02:29  |  r 23/02/08
      7.   If you in Israel then I take what you say more seriously 02:48  |  pal 23/02/08
      8.   THE ARABS ARE COMING 02:55  |  VIPER 23/02/08
      9.   talk about freiers 03:00  |  peter 23/02/08
      10.   SAUDI "PEACE" PLAN IS NONE OTHER THAN A DECLARATION OF WAR 03:13  |  G.Marcus 23/02/08
      11.   ENTIRE CONFLICT EXPLAINED IN LESS THAN 20 LINES 03:16  |  G.Marcus 23/02/08
      12.   Lakshmi You Rotter _ Respond To These Charges By Amitabh 03:26  |  Eli 23/02/08
      13.   #3 Robert puts up his straw men 03:29  |  Johnboy 23/02/08
      14.   Stephen_I Completely Agree With You On Every Detail Of Your Post 03:30  |  Eli 23/02/08
      15.   #7 03:51  |  Moshe 23/02/08
      16.   Rescind what? 04:01  |  Fish 23/02/08
      17.   #8 vapid viper 04:04  |  Moshe 23/02/08
      18.   #5 Lakshmi Don`t threaten us, not scared 04:20  |  Boris 23/02/08
      19.   20 BILLION IN US WEAPONS TO SAUDI ARABIA 04:22  |  Bruce 23/02/08
      20.   # 12 Eli 04:29  |  Bobby 23/02/08
      21.   videogameboy keeps playing 04:44  |  peter 23/02/08
      22.   to all arabs 04:47  |  danny 23/02/08
      23.   More Arab BS 04:56  |  Frank 23/02/08
      24.   The guy number 3 in Montreal 05:11  |  Dominique 23/02/08
      25.   stephen numero quattro 05:17  |  paulo 23/02/08
      26.   To Moshe #15 War was brought on us 05:24  |  pal 23/02/08
      27.   Let Egypt and Jordan give some land to Pals 05:48  |  Charles 23/02/08
      28.   Iran is on the Rise 05:51  |  Mary 23/02/08
      29.   Arab Offer: Two Palestines 06:11  |  B (The other one) 23/02/08
      30.   #21 Oh, I hear someone stuck in their groove, peter.... 06:16  |  Johnboy 23/02/08
      31.   IT`S THE BEST THAT YOU CAN DO 06:33  |  BOB KING THE ZIONIST 23/02/08
      32.   Thank you, Marcus, #10 & #11 06:37  |  Blogowitz 23/02/08
      33.   #13 Johnboy 06:43  |  Robert 23/02/08
      34.   danny in australia 07:10  |  Pax Americana 23/02/08
      35.   promises are piecrust lets see performance 07:29  |  v hardman 23/02/08
      36.   Danny :Its strictly business 07:30  |  pal 23/02/08
      37.   Simply Turn off the Oil, like they did in the `70s 07:32  |  lydia 23/02/08
      38.   No Peace for Anyone Period. 07:45  |  Efox 23/02/08
      39.   Oh Whip Me With A Wet Noodle! 07:47  |  Yosemite 23/02/08
      40.   Recind the lousy offer immediately! 07:54  |  Stellar 23/02/08
      41.   Arab leadrs threaten to withdraw 2002 land-forpeace offer 08:00  |  martin list, m.d. 23/02/08
      42.   Israel`s Own Worst Enemy 08:07  |  Paulo 23/02/08
      43.   Peace doesn`t seem to be an end goal for Arab regimes 08:16  |  Gina 23/02/08
      44.   Thanks Bob the Zionist. 08:23  |  Palestinian Brit 23/02/08
      45.   The PLO and the Arab States 08:25  |  Jean Van Daem 23/02/08
      46.   #9 peter of montreal: freiren? Bist meshugeh? 08:26  |  hala 23/02/08
      47.   #15 Moishe and "warmongering" in 1920 08:35  |  hala 23/02/08
      48.   piz plan 08:37  |  Omar 23/02/08
      49.   #5 Stephen, you are 100% correct 08:38  |  hala 23/02/08
      50.   Palestine 08:45  |  Gregor 23/02/08
      51.   # 1 EXACTLY ! THE arubs WILL NEVER GIVE PEACE TO ANY ONE 08:54  |  MOSHE 23/02/08
      52.   # 46 IS SICK PUPPY 08:57  |  MOSHE 23/02/08
      53.   Palestinians 09:13  |  Gregor 23/02/08
      54.   Too late for two states 09:22  |  Ben 23/02/08
      55.   Saudi Proposal Got Nowhere Because 09:31  |  MB 23/02/08
      56.   #52 Ouch, the truth pricks the eyes, n`est-ce pas? 09:53  |  hala 23/02/08
      57.   what a hypocrisy - isnt it saudi-arabia who supports hamas... 09:57  |  scallywag 23/02/08
      58.   Remember Robert #3, You`re sitting on Arab Lands 10:14  |  Markus 23/02/08
      59.   #33 I`ll try and explain this to you, Robert 10:16  |  Johnboy 23/02/08
      60.   #33 I`m certainly seeing a touch of arrogance, Robert. 10:39  |  Johnboy 23/02/08
      61.   #33 Perhaps you`d better try to explain, Robert 11:07  |  Johnboy 23/02/08
      62.   At last ,a positive development 11:19  |  trumpeldor 23/02/08
      63.   #60 johnboy and the usual utter confusion 11:36  |  v hardman 23/02/08
      64.   Ha Ha Ha! 11:56  |  Atoo 23/02/08
      65.   # 1 vik 12:02  |  Axel 23/02/08
      66.   What are the chances of peace? 12:36  |  Jean Van Daem 23/02/08
      67.   No 2-state solution...give all Palis Israeli citizenship 12:43  |  Jason G 23/02/08
      68.   #60 Johnboy, first lets examine others 12:46  |  Doc Holliday 23/02/08
      69.   Moshe - another idiot 12:48  |  Philip 23/02/08
      70.   G. Marcus - your description is worthy of a C- in 5th grade 12:50  |  Philip 23/02/08
      71.   If Israel rejects the Arab Peace Plan 12:58  |  Matthew Kretzmer 23/02/08
      72.   Moshe 13:37  |  Abby 23/02/08
      73.   hot air 13:40  |  ron 23/02/08
      74.   Arabs States Threats Portrayed as Despair Reflect Frustration 13:48  |  Joseph . E 23/02/08
      75.   The Arabs need to change course 13:57  |  Abu Firas Al Qudsi 23/02/08
      76.   eMPTY THREATS 14:08  |  Gadees 23/02/08
      77.   Wasting Good time 14:13  |  Gadees 23/02/08
      78.   Saudi Militarism 14:17  |  Gadees 23/02/08
      79.   Good. F Israel 14:20  |  POP 23/02/08
      80.   Arab states threaten to rescind 2002 Saudi peace initiative 14:33  |  Julian 23/02/08
      81.   Balony Leaders 14:49  |  Gadees 23/02/08
      82.   12 Eli,4 Stephen,Eli,I`m afraid you are losing it!You keep quotin 14:50  |  lakshmi 23/02/08
      83.   Sweet Democracy 15:01  |  Gadees 23/02/08
      84.   The weak party in the equation is Saudia--their money 15:17  |  Sal 23/02/08
      85.   Leaders of Sovereign States. 15:19  |  Gadees 23/02/08
      86.   Matthew Kretzmer # 71 The Arab Ultimatum (part 1) 15:21  |  Jeff Northridge 23/02/08
      87.   I don*t buy it. The Saudis need Israel against Iran, 1 15:27  |  David Turner 23/02/08
      88.   I don*t buy it. The Saudis need Israel against Iran, 1 15:28  |  David Turner 23/02/08
      89.   This means war 15:34  |  Boris 23/02/08
      90.   The Saying Goes That Arabs Understand Only Force 15:35  |  Joseph . E 23/02/08
      91.   Accept our proposal for internal destruction, or 15:48  |  Sam 23/02/08
      92.   Pal#7 - Arabs fighting to the last Palestinian 15:50  |  William 23/02/08
      93.   66. jean 15:52  |  triska 23/02/08
      94.   Hahaha - Lydia#37 16:21  |  William 23/02/08
      95.   Matthew Kretzmer # 71 The Arab Ultimatum (part 2) 16:21  |  Jeff Northridge 23/02/08
      96.   Paulo#42 - Intl stance is not changing 16:25  |  William 23/02/08
      97.   Abu Firas#75 - Israeli boycott 16:34  |  William 23/02/08
      98.   videogameboy hits replay again 16:34  |  peter 23/02/08
      99.   Should the Arabs rescind their peace offer? 17:06  |  Tosefta 23/02/08
      100.   97 William the dreamer 17:31  |  Abu Firas AL Qudsi 23/02/08
      101.   I believe that Palestinians should go for UDIndependance. 17:34  |  Fairman 23/02/08
      102.   #82 Lakshmi. Read my post carefully. 17:51  |  Stephen. 23/02/08
      103.   The Arab peace plan offers Israel.......... 18:38  |  Deborah 23/02/08
      104.   Stephen#4 18:40  |  Abby 23/02/08
      105.   Tosefta#99 18:48  |  Abby 23/02/08
      106.   101 Fairman,absolutely right! 18:51  |  lakshmi 23/02/08
      107.   How long are they supposed to wait? 19:02  |  Outsider 23/02/08
      108.   arabs better get realistic. they have way more to loose than isra 19:16  |  ralph 23/02/08
      109.   Lakshmi # 82_My Post Still Stands. As I Previously 19:36  |  Eli 23/02/08
      110.   an ice-cold poker hand 20:09  |  anangryjew 23/02/08
      111.   Arab Leaders what fools you have been...the answer is here 20:28  |  MAN OF THE CLOTH 23/02/08
      112.   #101; Fairman Dude the Arab countries did match the US 20:30  |  Doc Holliday 23/02/08
      113.   Abu Firas#100 - On boycotts we walk 20:52  |  William 23/02/08
      114.   Abu Firas on Intl conventions - #100 20:58  |  William 23/02/08
      115.   Deborah#103 - which part of the plan Israel desires? 21:04  |  William 23/02/08
      116.   #104 Abby. So don·t get upset when..... 21:08  |  Stephen. 23/02/08
      117.   Abby#105 - what price did Arab sell Palestine? 21:17  |  William 23/02/08
      118.   Lakshmi#106 - I hope PLO DOES go for statehood 21:22  |  William 23/02/08
      119.   Arab frauds oppose a Kurdish state 21:26  |  Ken Jurist 23/02/08
      120.   Stephen#111 - response to Abby 21:33  |  William 23/02/08
      121.   Ken Jurist#114 - Kurdistan given to Arabs by Brits 21:58  |  William 23/02/08
      122.   Lakshmi # 82 _ I Stand By What I Posted. 21:59  |  Eli 23/02/08
      123.   Give us all that land and let the terrorist in 22:04  |  Realist 23/02/08
      124.   The Saudis should withdraw their offer... 22:39  |  Dutch 23/02/08
      125.   #3 Robert PRAY FOR END TO OIL 22:59  |  Ian 23/02/08
      126.   Johnboy #60 #61 23:05  |  Robert 23/02/08
      127.   NO, NO and NO - Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisa 23:32  |  17 23/02/08
      128.   #119 doris doesnt know an offer from a ball of wool 23:39  |  v hardman 23/02/08
      129.   Declare Independence 23:39  |  Harold 23/02/08
      130.   113 William,there are 4 requirements:1.a determinable territory; 01:04  |  lakshmi 24/02/08
      131.   119 Dutch,I agree it should go back to the UN,because it is the 01:08  |  lakshmi 24/02/08
      132.   117 Eli,I`ll give you one more chance! 01:29  |  lakshmi 24/02/08
      133.   So who cares, saudi ofer is worthless 01:52  |  Adrian de Klerk 24/02/08
      134.   Bad approach by Arab dictators 01:58  |  Sam 24/02/08
      135.   Thank GOD! He made the arabs stupid 02:11  |  Preacher 24/02/08
      136.   NOT A PEACE PLAN, DEBORAH 03:38  |  judith 24/02/08
      137.   #125 Oh, I understand that you don`t understand, Robert 04:06  |  Johnboy 24/02/08
      138.   128 Harold,they should Declare Independence & immediately seek 04:16  |  lakshmi 24/02/08
      139.   #125 And on this last bit, Robert.... 04:18  |  Johnboy 24/02/08
      140.   #47 Hala 04:18  |  Moshe 24/02/08
      141.   #47 Hala 04:34  |  Moshe 24/02/08
      142.   Lakshmi _ I Know You Are Serious. I Suggest You Apologize To The 04:37  |  Eli 24/02/08
      143.   Dutch_On Another Thread You Made A Claim About The Hague 04:49  |  Eli 24/02/08
      144.   #72 04:52  |  Moshe 24/02/08
      145.   #134 Preacher 04:55  |  Moshe 24/02/08
      146.   only one solution 06:15  |  yuval 24/02/08
      147.   #142 Eli on Dutch`s claim 06:41  |  Johnboy 24/02/08
      148.   #98 peter takes careful aim, and let`s fire..... 06:56  |  Johnboy 24/02/08
      149.   Dutch & Johnboy if you go to the other thread there is a piece on 13:04  |  lakshmi 24/02/08
      150.   go ahead, arab punks. rescind it and you will die. 20:01  |  frenz 24/02/08
      151.   Johnboy, Re Eli and the ICJ 22:58  |  Dutch 24/02/08
      152.   Dutch and Johnboy_ The Opinion Was About the Wall, NOT the 05:35  |  Eli 25/02/08
      153.   Eli, The justices also passed a ruling on the occupation ... 09:56  |  Dutch 25/02/08
      154.   to dutch, #153 10:53  |  Shaktimaan 21/10/08
     Read & React
    Israel mulling non-aggression treaty with Lebanon
    Responses: 249
    Akiva Eldar: We must be firm on dividing Jerusalem
    Responses: 66
    Kadima supporters' website brands Pope Benedict with swastika
    Responses: 57
    Saudi official presents new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan
    Responses: 97
    Bradley Burston: Daniel Pearl, Gilad Shalit, and the exercise of power
    Responses: 83


    More Headlines
    04:59 IAEA chief: Iran not close to developing nuclear weapons
    20:09 Egypt presents Fatah, Hamas with Palestinian unity proposal
    04:59 NYU poll: Two-thirds of U.S. Jews back Obama over McCain
    04:05 Police arrest 9 Jews over recent assaults on Arabs in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
    05:03 VIDEO / Republican accuses Al-Jazeera of distorting racist comments by Palin backers
    00:29 Daniel Pearl, Gilad Shalit, and the exercise of power
    18:50 Our man in Sanaa: Ex-Yemen president was once trainee rabbi
    05:02 UN Chief urges Iran to combat discrimination against women, minorities
    15:09 Peres grants Livni extra two weeks to form coalition
    10:03 Israel mulling non-aggression treaty with Lebanon
    16:19 Saudi official presents new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan
    01:17 Kadima supporters' website brands Pope Benedict with Nazi swastika
    19:10 UN calls on Lebanon to step up fight against human trafficking
    18:06 Three arrested for smuggling cocaine-stuffed toys from South America
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright 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