Netanyahu: Creative thinking can remove obstacles on the way to Mideast peace
Speaking to his cabinet following last week's peace summit in Washington, PM says Israel has shown it is willing to go a long way in order to achieve peace.
By Jonathan Lis and Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Middle East peace Benjamin NetanyahuIsrael and the Palestinian Authority would have to find new and original solutions to the issues standing in the way from achieving a peace deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday.
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Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with Mahmoud Abbas as Hillary Clinton looks on, Spetember 3, 2010. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
Netanyahu made the comments during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, in which he debriefed his ministers on last week's peace summit in Washington.
In his opening remarks, the prime minister said that Israel had "proven in the past that [it is] willing to go a long way in order to achieve peace, but this time, for us to succeed, we must learn from the lessons of the past and think in an original way."
"What is required is creative, novel thinking in order to resolve these complex issues," Netanyahu said.
One of the issues the premier may have alluded to in his remark is Israel's current settlement construction freeze, due to expire on September 26, and which the Palestinians demanded be extended for talks to continue.
Last week, speaking to Army Radio, Netanyahu dismissed a compromise proposal by Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor, under which Israel would permit further construction in major settlement blocks near the Green Line, expected to become part of Israel under an eventual peace deal.
"Meridor's comments represent his personal position and not that of the government," Army Radio quoted Netanyahu as saying.
Speaking to Army Radio earlier Sunday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said that Netanyahu did not mention the settlement freeze during last week's summit, saying the Israeli premier did not "mention the word freezing."
The Palestinian negotiator added, when asked what he thought Israel would decide on the matter, that the PA knows "his position and he knows our position. We will see what will happen in the next few days."
Erekat also told Army Radio he felt the two sides were interested in achieving a viable peace, saying that "the time now is for decisions not for negotiations."
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Matthew 14:15-20. 15. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." 16. Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." 17."We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered. 18. "Bring them here to me," he said. 19. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20.They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
I do not see the reason for these peace talks. American and the UK did not seek peace talks with Iraq to investigate Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. They said that according to international law Iraq had to retreat or else. Tell me please why is the case with Israel different? We all know that the Israeli policy was to build 'facts on the ground' to support the illegal occupation. Why when Iraq claimed Kuwait it was illegal but when Israel claims Palestine the USA says we must not invade Israel and force Israel back to the 1967 (1948) lines. umpteen United Nations resolutions have voted for Israel to withdraw to 1948 lines and also any laws passed by Israel in occupied land are illegal and not recognised internationally. The world must not be bullied by Israel.
Did you meet my wife? Her Grandfather is from Hebron -- only he took a detour of 75 years to start a new family -- since his old one was murdered in 1929. Have you been to Kefar Etzion in Gush Etzion? It's full of the children -- their parents were all murdered at the start of the 1948 war. The Jews are home in the West Bank. We'd like to share it, would you?
Palestinians go home! Shosh's brother
To move forward, the freeze must be extended unofficially. If the talks fail let it be because of the PA, NOT because of Israel. The West Bank has been a increasing success story and this must be the first stage of a Pal state. Gaza/Hamas is a different story, and at some point there must be new elections in both PA territories. Jerusalem can have local borough govt for East and West Jerusalem combined with IDF security for the united capital city.
Only the Moshiachs Meal of Five Loaves that entraps the two big fish can provide that much-needed exit strategy from all stalemates, impasse, deadloacks and deep holes to the complete satisfaction of the hungry, weary, fearful and difficult multitude. regards from the small boy.
Roughly translates as; "I'm going to ignore all the previous agreements and squeeze even more land out the Pals".
,including accepting 150.000 pals in Israel.and ceding of E.Jlem Then we'll agree to more under negotiationas and I'll earn a kiss from Bambi ,says Netanyahu.
And the silverhaired Jedi thought hard, and concentrated, and focused all his inner energy on the Green Line... and then it moved! Miraculously! And then he heard Sara's raspy voice... and discovered he had returned to his nightmare.
Peace is easy: Bibi only has to bring all settlers back to Israel and put an end to the illegal occupation of the WSest Bank, including East Jerusalem. Then peace will be easy.
absolutely! think of all the creative ways to carve up a state for palestinians, one without contiguous borders, water rights, with no army, supervised israeli airspace and telecommunications network, and with israeli security over border with jordan! How can Palestinians reject this colorful and creative plan?
What Netanyahu really means by "creative, novel thinking" is a new way to screw the Palestinians and make everyone think that Israel has really sacrificed something for peace.
So creative as the proposal of the Swiss cheese state of Palestine formula... so many Israeli settlements within a Palestinian state, and allowing for their natural growth ... means in generations to come these settlements will grow into the Palestinians' Land and eventually creating new frictions followed by a new conflict hence the Netanyahu "Peace to last for generations" ...Yes very creative Mr. Netanyahu ... Mr. Abbas will be stupid to buy this formula
Take Meridor's idea and develop it further with "creativity." Agreement on final status borders, as first order of business, would render the issue of freeze irrelevant. Israel can build on its' side of the border. I don't think anyone would disagree with that. this would allow the parties to move on to other issues.
What's to think about Netanyahu? Just give back the occupied territories and there you have it, a lasting peace. Here's what NOT to think about; stop thinking that Arab lands belong to Israel and everything else will go quite smoothly, for God sake man!
I agree, it really does appear to be a no brainer. To the Arabs, who used to occupy the entire country of Israel (regardless what religious beliefs certain people hold about whose land it is, or who used to occupy the land throughout the centuries) the simple matter of the fact is that the Arab population was forcibly removed from the land they were living in, in 1948. Seeing as how they used to own 100% of the land, it doesn't seem like much to ask for 20% of the land back. Considering before the 1967 land occupation, Israel owned 80% of the territory. The Palestinians arent even bothering to ask for some of that land back (even though in my opinion they are entitled to ask for some of it, if this is truly a peace DEAL). They just want the occupied lands that already belong to them back in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem. Whats the problem exactly? I really am stumped here.
2palestinians" owning WB before the 67 ,it belonged to Jordan and your GB was the only country in the World besides Pakistan recognizing it. So WB should go to Jordan ,eh ?
in accordance with a secret agreement before the 1948 war, the one occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the other most of the rest. Now Israel occupies all of it.
If Israel doesn't settle for the creation of an independent Palestine now, the issue will be forced on them demographically. It is just a matte of time.