Arab League welcomes 'positive elements' of Bush plan for Mideast
But Arab League chief says 'all parties' must attend fall summit, peace cannot be completed without withdrawal from Syrian territory.
By News AgenciesArab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said Monday that members of the body welcomed the "positive elements" of a new Middle East initiative by U.S. President George W. Bush, especially those related to "founding an independent Palestine state, his call for ending the Israeli settlements and ending the Israeli occupation."
In a statement issued after the talks, the League said it "supports convening a meeting or a conference with the participation of all parties concerned with the peace process, in order to launch talks on all tracks."
"Peace cannot be completed without withdrawal from Syrian territory, so all the parties have to be there," Moussa told a press conference in Egypt after the talks.
During the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip from Egypt and the Golan Heights from Syria. A recent peace initiative devised by Saudi Arabia and adopted by the Arab League calls for normalized ties with Israel in return for a full withdrawal from the lands captured in the war.
"Any international gathering has to be comprehensive, a serious one, and the agenda has to be considered carefully. It should include all those involved in the conflict and the time frame must be defined," Moussa said.
But, he conceded, "There are other points that Syria sees as dangerous, which our resolution avoided, not considering them as positive."
Foreign ministers from 16 Arab states met in Egypt on Monday to discuss Middle East peace efforts. Also on the agenda were recent efforts by League representatives to rally support for an Arab peace initiative, the group said in a draft statement earlier Monday.
The Syrian representative at the meeting, Youssef Ahmed, told reporters that the priority should be to achieve reconciliation between Palestinian factions.
"I expressed reservations about any form of welcome for what is called U.S. President George Bush's initiative because we in Syria believe that discussing the Palestinian issue in the meeting under the current state of Palestinian schism... would lead to killing off the Palestinian cause," he said.
Ahmed later stormed out of the talks. Delegates said that he left the meeting to protest the fact that Arabs were even agreeing to discuss Bush's proposal. "The suggested conference will liquidate the Palestinian cause," delegates quoted him as saying.
Observers said there was surprise that Syria was not represented at the meeting by its foreign minister - apparently concerned that the Arab ministers might back the American view after Bush ignored Syria in his initiative to hold a Middle East peace conference in the fall.
During the Monday meeting, Moussa reported on the outcome of the group's efforts over the past two months to promote the Arab peace initiative.
Eight of the Arab ministers - from Egypt, Jordan and the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries - will meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Tuesday to talk about the conference.
An Arab diplomat in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the sides were still trying to work out what such a meeting might do for peace, especially as the Bush administration has only 17 months left in office.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and his Jordanian counterpart, Abdelelah Al-Khatib, visited Israel last week to formally present the initiative. Aboul Gheit, upon his return to Egypt, speculated that other Arab countries may join in future contacts with Israel.
Moussa said Sunday that the conference should be sponsored by either the UN or the Quartet of Middle East peace brokers, made up of the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia.
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Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa. (AP) |
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then we NEVER have Peace. tell me Eitan.These criterias have to be also applied to Israel IF WE WANT PEACE. 1)Does the Jewish State of Israel recognize that Hamas WON the last Palestinian Election by a great Majority? therefore needs to talk WITH THEM TOO for a real Peace in our region? By the way the ARAB LEAGUE WILL accept the EXISTANCE of a JEWISH STATE OF ISRAEL I F all conqured lands are returned back .That has been said many times. 2)Asked yourself this:"Has the J S o ISRAEL has adhered to all agreements negociated and signed with the PALS.AUTHORITY?? 3)Has the J S o I. ceased ALL ACTS OF VIOLENCE against the Palestinians citizens. There you are my friend, that's why we need to have a sincere negociations, not IMPOSED ITEMS by anyone. Let us hope that FINALLY the HOLY LAND WILL FIND GENUINE PEACE(since 1947).Shalom
In the words of King Solomon, "It is as nothing, a blowing in the wind......" Every so-called plan calls for Israel to give up more and more of the land God gave them--something He told them not to do. The Golan was captured because it was being used as a staging area to attack Israel. There will be no real peace, because the terrorists of islam will not be satisfied until they have ALL the land--and complete occupation/control of Jerusalem, which Israel cannot allow. Israel has in the past proved formidable, (except for last summer, when poor leadership would not allow them to do what they needed to) and thus, they want PIECE--to destroy Israel piece by piece--Israel cannot give up more land and still survive, except for the intervention of God--which, by the way, they will have--
Israel should give back the arabic land as soon as possible! There is no more discussion about that. We all know how Israel occupated these areas, it is not acceptable to behave like that or to claim that these areas belongs to Israel because they do not. If the Israelis liked these areas, well they could live their as immigrants under the control of the arabs on arabic territories or the could visit these areas as tourists. I am sure that most of the arabs would not object to that, I mean there are a lot of Israelies who visit Sharm El Sheik etc as tourists. Bye and Have a God Day!
new found friendship with abbas has to be validated.Or else.Secret talks are going on between the quisling and olmert(in today's Haaretz).Meanwhile,as per usual israel is using this as cover for annexing more land,this time in Qualqilya,in the West Bank.The farmers have been evicted and barbed wire has been put around the land.Abbas failed in his attempt to get Russia to isolate Hamas.Russia recognises him as President but wants Unity.Abbas has stepped down from his high horse and agreed to have mediation.Hamas has been calling for Unity.And so,unless abbas delivers something,other than the token release of a few hundred prisoners(due to be released anyway)he is in trouble.We'll have to wait and see how this process is going.
about a peace deal with Israel. Each time something like this happen, there is ALWAYS new and/or revised condition(s) that Israel has to comply without the AL or someone else doing anything in return. Such a tactic is to prime any genuine negotiations into failure. And guess who is to blame.
"Eight of the Arab ministers - from Egypt, Jordan and the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries - will meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Tuesday to talk about the conference." These 8 impotent & helpless ministers have nothing to "talk about" with Condarisa Lice because they don't control their own destiny! All they can do is listen well to Condi's instructions because they know that the existence of the governments that they represent have no chance of survival without the backing of American military & intelligence! This is just a photo opportunity show. She didn't need to come to Sharm el-Sheikh. She could've lifted the phone from the White House and dictated her instructions to these turkeys or sent them a recorded video tape as Ben Laden has learned so well to do.
No more talks about land for peace ENOUGH We have to make peace for peace THis is the only way if the arabs really want peace
Yet another meeting to discuss an agenda to set an agenda for a faux peace conference. Since Israel will never agree to negotiate a true peace agreement where concessions would have to be made, all these meetings and conferences are truly "process for the sake of process".
Arab League's way of giving themselves another chance of getting rid of the Jewish State forever. Israel must go back to those dangerous and indefensible borders where it is only NINE MILES WIDE in some areas when all Arab/Muslim Armies will join up this time to "wipe Israel off the map" as threatened by Iran's Ahmadinejad.
in principle the right of the Jewish state of Israel to exist and state so, 2) Accept and adhere all agreements negotiated and signed with the Jewish state of Israel, and 3) Cease all acts of violence and terror against Israel and its citizens, and all assistance given people who are involved in such acts of terror. Which one of the Arab state, I ask, meets these three basic requirements and part of the core of any proper international relationship??
my biggest fear is not our arab neighbours it is our STUPID, SELF CENTRED governmnet. Who knows how far they will go to stroke their own egos.
They want land for peace. This is my land, who are they to say give me your land. The Arab League is a group of thugs. If they want my land give me some of theirs. If Syria wants the Golan it can give Israel Damascus. The Arab League have so much land, they are greedy and evil. Israel is wasting its time negotiating with countries that must ultimately be defeated. The world and Israel are being tricked by this group of thugs. The U.S is making a mistake selling weapons to the saudis. These thugs have not moderated. They are offering peace to Israel in return for self destructing itself. Its time for Israelis to unite and say no. Its time for the world to say no more talks about land for peace. Make peace for peace. If they couldn't do it before 1967 and they can't do it now. Giving the Arab League land for peace is like giving your land to a gang in exchange for protection. Wake Up people!
Which one exactly? The peace process or the arms race?!
Tone it down, Arab League. Take it a step at a time. If you let this whole matter degenerate into the usual Arab histrionics (for the benefit of "The Street") you'll fail again. Both sides have to win here if it's going to succeed. And both sides have much to lose. Don't let Syria mess this up. Syria lost the Six-day war. They're in no position to dictate peace-terms. Let them make a bold offer for peace. Don't conflate the Israeli-Palestinian issue - you'll lose.
The Arab League also has never gone to war with Turkey over Iskandur/Hatay region that belongs to Syria. There has never been an economic boycott against a Turkey and as a matter of fact all Arab League countries plus Iran have very friendly diplomatic relationships with Turkey. This is in contrast with the treatment of Israel by this Arab Hate League and Syria's false claims to the Jewish Golan Heights and Sheeba farms.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa should try this tact. Tell Syria you choose to go to war agaist Israel and you lost. When Israel decides to give that land back and if ever then you will be surprised. Until then Syria needs to go forward with a peace with Israel with out the Golan in the conditions. Oterwise don't waste Israels time.To much Israeli blood was spilled to win that land. Plus Assad keeps bad company. He needs to change.