'Palestinian attitude in peace talks shifting by 180 degrees'
Al-Hayat, quoting Abbas aides, says Palestinian skepticism is dissipating over U.S. desire to end process in 1 year, as well as the increased pressure on Israel to extend its settlement freeze.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Middle East peace Mahmoud Abbas Hillary ClintonThe skepticism which plagued the Palestinian camp prior to the recent relaunch of direct Middle East peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority has all but disappeared, aides to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the Arabic language London-based newspaper Al-Hayat on Saturday.
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Hillary Clinton, George Mitchell, Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas at talks in Washington D.C., September 2, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
Speaking at the launch of direct peace talks on Thursday, Abbas urged Israel to end construction in the West Bank settlements, on land that the Palestinians seek for a future state, saying that negotiations would face many hurdles, but that the goals were clear and the path to an enduring peace was known to both sides.
"We call on the Israeli government to move forward with its commitment to end all settlement activities and completely lift the embargo over the Gaza Strip," Abbas said.
According to the Al Hayat report on Saturday, those close to the Palestinian president claimed the atmosphere in the Palestinian delegation to the peace talks in Washington had "changed by 180 degrees" from the hesitance which prevailed prior to their arrival at Washington.
Sources told the London-based newspaper that the reasons for the change in attitude were both the United States' desire to settle all final-status issues within one year as well as U.S. pressure on Israel to extent its soon-to-be-expired moratorium on settlement building.
On Friday, chief Palestinian negotiator in peace talks with Israel Saeb Erekat denied reports earlier Friday that the two sides would meet again in the West Bank on Monday after kicking off a new round of negotiations in Washington.
In a conversation with Haaretz, Erekat dismissed claims made earlier in the day by another senior Palestinian negotiator, Nabil Shaath, who said the parties would follow up Friday's U.S. meeting with another in the city of Jericho on Monday.
Shaath, who attended the official launch of the direct peace talks in Washington earlier this week, said a United States representative would be present at the meeting, which would also include Erekat and chief Israeli negotiator Yitzhak Molcho.
According to Shaath, the unscheduled meeting would lay ground for the next formal negotiating session, scheduled to begin on September 14 in the southern Sinai Red Sea city of Sharm al-Sheikh.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will all participate in the Sinai summit.
Shaath said Israel had decided to postpone the end of its 10-month freeze on West Bank settlement freeze from September 26 to September 30 to give the sides extra time to negotiate.
"Israelis claim that they can't continue the settlement freeze while we say that we can’t continue with negotiations if settlement building continues," Shaath said. "We will continue to work seriously until the end of the month."
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Let's assume that Netanyahu and Abbas make a peace agreement. The fact that Hamas was not involved in the peace talks will mean that Hamas will not hold to Abbas's agreement. In fact, Hamas is likely to make more attacks than ever as a result of the peace agreement. Israel will be forced to retaliate, but Israeli retaliation usually involves killing Palestinian civilians, especially when it is done on a large scale. If Israel kills Palestinian civilians, the peace argeement will be strained and will ultimately fall apart, since Hamas will keep attacking until it does fall apart. How is this problem actually an asset? Well, Israel never wanted this peace agreement in the first place. By keeping Hamas out of the talks, Israel can get full credit for making peace and yet there will be no peace and expansion can continue. These peace talks are designed to fail. It would be a major surprise if they didn't fail before their conclusion, but if they are successful, ultimate failure is guaranteed.
israel would be well advised to strengthen the hand of the Palestinian Authority and help it demonstrate the dividend from being engaged in the peace process. this would weaken Hamas and Hizbollah and be a serious blow to Iran's influence in the region.
Is there an answer to the biggest question of all?? The Israeli govt may be willing to abandon most of the settlers, but can it agree to turn Jerusalem into a divided city fought over by Hamas and other even more radical islamicist groups???
Such a pejorative, disdainful term. Sort of like YID. I hope that Haaretz actually allows this to be posted; after all, it allows PAL.
The reason is quite simple you see...because the nomeclature of Palestinian does not apply to Arab/Pals BUT TO JEWS.Again why? well,because during the British mandate and the so-called partition,the British called the Jews Palestinians and THE REST MERELY ARABS. The new nomeclature was invented by ratifart only since 1962/63.Before that there was no such people called Arab palestinians. Why not read what one of them wrote and said.I mean coming from the HORSES MOUTH thus answering your QUESTION.
Everybody else is sceptical of the peace talks, of course, but deep inside we all hope that this time, somehow it works out. The degree of mistrust on both sides is huge, but come on people, give peace a chance! Wouldn't it be wondeful if it works out!!
you can not ignore 1.5 Million Palestinian living in Gaza Ghetto.
This is the third time you have posted the same stupidity on various stories in Haaretz. If you think that Hamas wants to b e a part of any peace talks then you are even a bigger moron than meets the eye.
When one looks back, it is clearly seen that the greater the "friendship" of a US President to Israel (meaning that he applies less pressure on Israel to pursue peace), the less is accomplished. Our greatest "friends" were Clinton and G. Dubya Bush. Clinton did everything Barak asked him to do, including in Camp David. The result: no peace, only Intifada II. Dubya Bush came up with the Roadmap, a plan but no pressure on Israel. Nothing useful resulted. Looking back at the "bad" presidents, Nixon helped Israel with military equipment in Yom Kippur, but then prevented Israel from vanquishing the Egyptian Third Army. He preserved Egypt's honor, and peace became possible. Carter was even insulting in his pressure on Begin. But he ended up god-fathering the Peace Agreement with Sadat. Papa Bush was publicly pushing Shamir, even causing his regime to fall, This resulted in the Madrid Conference which led to Oslo. Obama seems to be made of different stuff. He aspires to do what is "right", more than what political considerations dictate, as he did with healthcare. If the Likud brings upon us an imposed international solution, so be it. The cure will be better than the continuation of the present diseased situation.
because he clearly knows zero in both subjects. lesson 1 . the allies in ww1 failed to enforce the terms of the armistice with germany leading to ww2. israel has failed to enforce the 1920 terms of its right to exist and has appeased over a period of 62 years it still has politicians that think despite perennial failure it will still work . another round of this farce is in progress!!
What a load of hogwash Logios.His only means in all he is doing (heathcare bull)he was forced by congress otherwise just zilch. When you mention Shamir's downfall to that i say Bull too.Shamir PM for two long terms,one the best PMs next to Begin. And more but for now I will leave and send an addendum.Your post is all BALONEY.
impossible, we need at least a1000 years and nights Mr .OBAMA
All of you Iran supporters and supporters of hamas, Hizbollah and all those losers you are nothing but hypocrites. If you hate Israel so much then fine dont establish relations with them but leave them alone let them live and you can just back off but stop attacking them they are not demons you are demons and you palestinians are such hypocrites, I can share a story about how Palestinians paid Iraqis back, during the 1990's when many Iraqis were leaving Iraq in search for a better life, it was the Palys in Jordan who took the Iraqi families money and I know one incident of a family where a Paly took their money and kept wanting more then he wanted to have sex with the Iraqi family's daughter because they cant afford paying him more, they paid him the $7,000 for each member of their family so that he could arrange asylum for them in a european country and then slept with their daughter she was the last resort after he had drained them of every penny, and then screwed them over and reported them to the authorities and they were sent back to Iraq, do you Palestinians ever realize that you are hated everywhere that no Arab state wants you and did you ever ask why? God help Israelis for tolerating you , honestly I think israelis are soft coz I would expel you and throw you in your hell hole Jordan and I have stories to tell about how undemocratic that shady kingdom is.
No matter how many international laws and treaties Israel signs the Arabs will never live up to their side of the agreement. They have reneged on everything since the 1919 Paris Agreement signed by King Feisal. Justice will only be served when the river Jordan is again recognised at the border between Israel and Jordan/Palestine.
To miss an opportunity.One day they agreed the NEXT DAY change tack.There will never be a Pal State Ever as far as anyone can see. They are beggars BUT HAVE revereted to the Arafat's way.No change what ever.Same old same old. As far as the buildings are concerned there will not be STOPPAGE of freezing and Isral will continue to BUILD AND BUILD IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
the commencement of the British Mandate for Palestine was settled with the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Sèvres on 10 August 1920. Article 95 specifically put into effect the declaration made on November 2, 1917 by the British Government to establish in PALESTINE a national home for the Jewish people. It does, however, state that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country". As this "one-state solution" has been refuted by Israel, it is likely under obligation to cede territory and/or compensate to respect these rights - but then again, so are all of the Arab countries that kicked out Jews over the past 62 years.
Israel is not going to stop settlement construction. Even if they say they will stop settlement construction they will not. Abbas has served as a stooge for American and Israel in the past. The big question is, is he still a stooge playing a role? One thing is sure. He has no official standing to represent the Palestinian people and he is actually repudiated by Hamas. How then, even in the extremely unlikely event that there should be an agreement, would it be of any use at all?
but real pals... (unlike yourself) actually want peace with Israel... and are willing to pay a heavy price for it...
One can not ignore 1.5 Million Palestinian living in Gaza. Hamas must be engaged and be a part of the negotiation, if israel/stupid America want it to succeede.
That means one thing. Palestinians do not want peace. They will repudiate any agreement achieved by Abbas, that will relinquish right of return ( Hak el Ahuda) for example.
This is just PR by the Whitehouse which is ludicrous, if there was no will on part of Fatah before talks are they saying Obama is screwing Israel so now they are happy?
then Bibi has to insure that we all have the descency of not going into each others 'place appropriating valuables which are not ours.?, such as building settlements in (Ismael's house), which after all are known to be illegal, by world communities.
It's also your wish ,I suspect. A sovereign state is not for everybody ,being a dhimmi is an atavistic desire of you&Co.
how does Amnon's desire/belief that Israelis should live within the '67 borders indicate a wish to be ruled by Arabs? And the world community does NOT think all palestinians should, or will, return to Israel. Some yes, the remainder to be paid compensation. Once again your reasoning escapes me. And speaking of atavistic, one can easily picture your prehensile tail uncoiling, cold-blooded reptile that you are
what he is capable of with a gun in his hand.. And take "not all pals " ,"returning to Israel" home to you instead ,would you ? You love them and they love you ,you are going to have it swell together. As to the pre-67 borders and the "World Communities"loving Israel because of them-where was Pres.Johnson and the State Department implementing privisions of the gurantees given to Israel (after 57 withdrawal from Sinai) concerning freedom of navigation thru the Tirana Straits ? "Couldn't find them" ,just like Bambi "couldn't find" Bush' "letter to Sharon"
but sadly zionists do not consider Muslims as their cousins.
has not yet been determined. A common misconception/propaganda of much of the international community. Therefore, it cannot be presumed that all (or any) settlements have been built in "Ishmael's house". I would argue that securing one's existing house (Isaac's) from attack, takes precedence.
Including Children, and that's not counting wounded
Slaughtering israeli civilians your funny, what paper do you read. In the last 3 years how many israeli civilians have been slaughtered? 5? Now how many pals were slaughtered? 2000? get your facts straight
For Israelis dead Arab chicdren are different from dead Jewish children. Arab children are "cockroaches in a bottle" (as per Shamir.)
I guess none of the two sides have interest in peace .both of them are trying to impose their own agenda ! The gap is big and deep, and the negotiation is just for the press !
they would condone these ongoing efforts in Washington to reach consensus about boarders ASAP... and not agitate about instant wild defreezes and flooding of Pal territory with even more illegal housing... in any case, the settlers will never be allowed in hog-it-all with impunity... as soon as borders are established, they can build all they want on legally agreed territory... then even peace and amity will have a chance...
Lives in a Settlement, too. She just doesn't know it yet.
they have shifted the borders from 48 to 67, that means they have already aquired more land, and if they wait longer the will aquire the whole lot including gaza and west bank, what will the pals do? that question will remain unanswered for now, but it will be on the table.
stupid America did this job for its spoiled baby!
Abbas is happy as he finally got a chance to spend some vacation at Washington and then to other countries. The peace talks is a PR campaign for Obama nothing else. Abbas will return after the free vacation back empty handed like always.
... this Pres is serious about the stakes...
The source is credible and the story line logical. The position of the American administration on the settlements has never changed. They are illegal, period. With Obama at the helm we will indeed see the creation of a Palestinian state in line with 1967 internationally recognized borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Maybe not in one year but certainly before 2012. That is a guarantee for in terms of future ME stability far too much is at stake.
the settlements are entirely legal and you should not post hogwash ! human rights legislation allows building of homes towns and villages. study it
No need really. Obama's show and that is all that counts. Not to mention he and the entire international community seem to be on the same page. Wonder why.
if apresident refuses to say where he was born what vakue on anthing he does or says ?/ which page is russia on in chechyna or china in tibet ? turkey and the kurds? india and kashmir ? sudan and darfur? josh wake up and smell the coffee!!
To sidestep the issue of the freeze altogether, parties would have to agree on final status borders (June67 borders with modifications and exchange of territory of equal value.) When that is agreed upon then Israel can build all it wants on its side of the border.
The idea of land swaps sounds nice, with Israel keeping the larger settlement blocks that are close to the green line and handing over an equivalent amount of land to the Palestinian state. But think about it - what land are they going to give the Palestinians? Most likely they wouldn't be willing t o offer anything better than dry chunks of the negev, while the land Israel would keep is some of the most fertile.
Clearly the Pals will not accept the Negiv dessert in exchange of fertile lands. There are other areas adjacent to the green line that are hardly inhabited. There was some point in time when both sides have in the past agreed to the idea in principal.
It was hard work to change the landscape to what it is today. Workable arable land.
Maybe a sliver of Syria too for good measure. Or should it just be the land of the Jews that gets smaller and smaller ad infinitum?
I don't think palestinians waited until 47 to work the land Arnold........
Yes - but until it is established just what Israel's side of the border is - they have to stop usurping the borderless area.
if abbas shifts he is dead man
And the Iraqis negotiated on the SOFA that is getting the US out of Iraq, too, while Iraqis died. The idea behind negotiations is to change the status quo - by agreement. Israel didn't do that with Gaza. It did with Egypt. Israel and Egypt are no longer shooting at each other. And there are no Israeli-governed settlements in Egypt. Israel chose all on its own to remove its citizens.
to continue their resistance to occupation by planning attacks on Israel ... you are justifying Hamas now !!!!
Nobody is justifying Hamas. We are all dead-tired of them and of the their Clown-leader in Teheran.
Israel is justifying Hamas, by her actions. After all Hamas is Israels own creation, suck it up and take responsebillity for own actions!
hey mark, the difference is that the palestinians land in question, israel says it is all israel as promised, nothing to do with the sovereign land of egypt or syria and lebanon.
even if ungraciously... peace can be a heady brew when thousands of their prisoners will be liberated.... and Gilad brought home... the Shalits may continue to campaign, this time for equal justice... Gilad himself could lead the effort (provided they treated him reasonably well in captivity...)
represent the despair of the Palestinian people.
Begin started out like that at Camp David, Sadat and carter didn't give in that, The did let Begin keep Gaza, but not the rest of Sinai. I don't think Israel has enough money to pay Egypt's expenses for even a year of reoccupying Gaza and rebuilding it to modern standards. If the negotiations end with it being Israeli land and people, then Israel will have to govern, and provide housing and water and schools and firefighters and police and all associated bureaucracies for their newly acquired 3 million citizens. Israel know s how to government4.5 million Jews, all withe the same language, Doubling that and add Arabic and the bureaucrats start to freak out.