Israel: Palestinians to blame for stalled peace talks

If Israel refuses to bend, then maybe Israel will have to break. If the US and EU decide to economically boycott Israel and cease all economic and diplomatic support, there will sooner than later not be an Israel.

borders that israel had declared as its own.

for insubordination. It is us, the Americans who are fed up giving our Billlions $ and receive no thanks. PM Netanyahu needs to know that we are the superPOWER, and it is us that are keeping the coffers full.

A.Mazen continuing it. Palestinans do NOT want Bantustans and surrounded by the Military control, a sort of 2nd Face of the OCCUPATION.NO They either have full control of their 22% of their land or a BINATIONAL State where there is a ONE MAN/ONE VOTE. They finally plum for this, where the Occupying POWER taken over the responsibilities of the lot. As the Three Musketeers say." ALL for one(All Israelis and Arabs for one state) and ONE FOR ALL. (ONE WHOLE STATE for ALL its CITIZENS)"

Dear Sir, People in the US share your frustration and disappointment with the US Sectetary's call as it contradicts the time honored American posit- ion which follows international law as Jimmy Carter notes below. Indeed, many Americans had expressed the wish the US Secretary back up US preconditions with reducing US aid or indeed the with-holding of aid all together especially following the events in Gaza in the last year and the ongoing criminal blockade there. Thus it should go without saying Americans share your frustation and disappointment and urge the Secretary to to return to this time honor- ed US position. Side stepping the settlements and international law is not an option . The US Secretary should have known better... My apology, Dutch , USA "The unwavering U.S. position since Dwight Eisenhower's ad- ministration has been that Israel's borders coincide with those established in 1949, and, since 1967, the universally adopted UN Resolution 242 has mandated Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territories. This policy was reconfirmed even by Israel in 1978 and 1993, and emphasised by all American presidents, including George W. Bush. As part of the quartet, including Rus sia, the UN, and the European Union, he has endorsed a "Road Map" for peace.? http://www.cartercenter.org/news/documents/doc2320.html

SMF:"You`re just as guilty of blowing off hot air. UN General Assembly Resolutions like 181 are non-binding." # In the first place the UN without the consent of the majority of the people of Palestine did not have the right to decide to partition Palestine or assign any part of its territory to a minority of alien immigrants in order for them to establish a state of their own. # Despite that, by the narrowest of margins, and only after a rigged vote, the UN General Assembly did pass a resolution to partition Palestine and create two states, one Arab, one Jewish, with Jerusalem not part of either. But the General Assembly resolution was only a proposal ? meaning that it could have no effect, would not become policy, unless approved by the Security Council. # The truth is that the General Assembly?s partition proposal never went to the Security Council for consideration. Why not? Because the U.S. knew that, if approved, it could only be implemented by force given the extent of Arab and other Muslim opposition to it; and President Truman was not prepared to use force to partition Palestine. # So the partition plan was vitiated (became invalid) and the question of what the hell to do about Palestine ? after Britain had made a mess of it and walked away, effectively surrendering to Zionist terrorism ? was taken back to the General Assembly for more discussion. The option favoured and proposed by the U.S. was temporary UN Trusteeship. It was while the General Assembly was debating what do that Israel unilaterally declared itself to be in existence ? actually in defiance of the will of the organised international community, including the Truman administration

Pappe is a well known expert on his chosen subject. He has published several other books on the Middle East: -A History of Modern Palestine; -The Modern Middle East; -The Israel Palestine/Question. He is Chair of History at the University of Exeter. He is very respected for his work, at least among serious scholars in the Anglo-saxon world. If not among virulent zionists. Please list your scholarships, researches, published work, etc. where one can evaluate your statement. I am not aware of him having been forced to apologize (by whom?) for stating anything incorrect, or that cannot be proven. In other word support your accusations with fact or otherwise we shall have no choice to conclude you are making your nonsense up. in other words, that you are lying.

Please tell me where I can find a record of Ilan Pappe's apologies you mention, and so dispell the notion that you are just a cheap zionist liar.

... stay put, don't even modify... ... ah well, we can always delude ourselves with that option... ... but the problem is that nobody else in the world buys it...

One has been heard to say; **segregation and terrorism would be much worse and there would be war** Really!! And what does one think 1948, 1967, 1973, the Intifadot, Cast Lead were? Parties or a walk in the park!!!

**Read "the ethnic cleansing of Palestine" by Ilan Pappe a respected Israeli historian** Respected by whom????? He had to apologise for the falsehoods, that means LIES, he had "quoted" As the english would say "One obviously does not know what one is talking about"

*Arabs are on the electoral list.Have the right to vote. *Arabs stand for, and are elected to the Knesset. *Arabs are in the professions, Doctors, Lawyers, Accountants, etc and treat/deal with both Arab & Jewish ISRAELI's. *Arabs are treated in the same hospitals as Jews *Arabs do NOT have separate entrances into public buildings. Neither park benches nor buses are reserved for exclusive use by "Europeans/NON EUROPEANS only. *Arabs live side by side with Jews in many ISRAELI towns & cities. You no less than NOTHING about the evils of Apartheid. I lived through it! May I respectfully suggest you do some research or at least ensure "Brain is active before hitting the keyboards again"

Get an eJEWkashun jason boy! Those were not borders...........merely cease fire lines. And to this day some of your friends have never signed the agreement. BTW. When are your islanders going to learn to play a good game of Rugby?

is to wink and look the other way. and anything that even approximates objectivity, amounts to "working against it".

Neither Egypt or Jordan ILLEGALLY annexed. Neither Egypt or Jordan built a separation barrier around illegally annexed territory where they built illegal settlements. Neither Egypt or Jordan claimed it for themselves. Otherwise there's be a UNSC resolution condemning their actions. There are none. Israel AGREED Egypt would occupy Gaza and it AGREED Jordan would occupy the West Bank. Read the armistice AGREEMENTs. Neither Egypt or Jordan tried to modify the borders. "When the Arabs declare another war 19 years later" Can you show us this 'declaration' thx... " and Jews move back in" That's 'ISRAELIs illegally settle'. Israel tries to modify the borders by illegal annexation. Your ignorance and ability to conflate is legendary

// I have the honor to notify you that the state of Israel has been proclaimed as an independent republic within frontiers approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its Resolution of November 29, 1947, and that a provisional government has been charged to assume the rights and duties of government for preserving law and order within the boundaries of Israel, for defending the state against external aggression, and for discharging the obligations of Israel to the other nations of the world in accordance with international law. // Res 181 is STILL enshrined in the Declaration of a Jewish State

Don't be too hard on poor Jason! We live in a democratic world, where democracy give the right to anyone, no matter whether he knows anything on the subject or not, to blabber out non-stop.

"Or is international law applied selectively, like Israel but no one else???" It applies to all. Unless of course Israel is somehow exempt?

"If Israel and the Palestinians were only left to their own devices, problems would have been solved long ago." If Israel and the Palestinians were left to their own devices, then Israel would continue with its oppression and occupation of Palestine, segregation and terrorism would be much worse and there would be war. Israel has had the unconditional and blind support of the US for decades and look at where we are .... the illegal and immoral settlement enterprise is one result of this stupid support. no thanks

SDHD: "In other words, Jews are to freeze their communities because it would create, "facts on the ground." Let us remind our friend that these so called communities (i.e. settlements) are illegal and immoral.

"When the Jordan and Egypt grabbed Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem....." The Palestinians were living in these areas before there ever was Israel. When you talk about ethnic cleansing of Jews from these areas you either are disingenuous or an outright liar because it is a well established fact that approx 800,000 ( I repeat 800,000) Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from Palestine in 1947 and 48. Read "the ethnic cleansing of Palestine" by Ilan Pappe a respected Israeli historian.

...people aren't stupid. When Bibi claims there is a "freeze" and there is no freeze, plus when Bibi and his administration give millions to the illegal colonists who are not even undergoing a freeze but are being bribed to shut up... ...well, we can all see it's nothing but a lie. Israel is not living up to the Road Map, it requires Israel to completely freeze the illegal colonies. Full stop. No more colonies, but Israel does not want peace, it wants the illegal colonies. So Israel will reap the whirlwind because time's up. I hope it was worth it. It isn't like all of us peace activists didn't warn you.

If you knew the details of the 2000 offer you would understand why the Palestinians walked away. You believe they wish to remain stateless? Do you think they would prefer to remain subjects of a harsh and humiliating occupation for eternity? Are you sure they would like to continue to have their land expropriated, and their crops and olive groves destroyed to build Israeli settlements on their land and roads leading to them that they can't use, for ever? Do you think that in Gaza they would all prefer to continue to have 30% of their population without access to clean water, to to worry about finding enough food to feed their families because the near genocidal Israeli blockade is more attractive than having their own state? Do you Jews expect us to believe that?

Daniel, at least you have the cojones to sign your name and list your home. Still, when I made aliyah from San Francisco 42 years ago, I was as ignorant of the realities on the ground as you still seem to be. Without the willingness to compromise, I would prefer you to stay ignorant by the Bay, while we Israelis make peace with neighbors who have learned the cost of war, as we have.

Did not Israel agree to freeze building in the West Bank for 10 months? Did Israel freeze building in the West Bank for 10 months? If the answers to the two questions are not identical, can Israel's government be trusted to keep its word? No? Who is to blame for the stalled peace talks?

You are quite arrogant for someone who has only a vague understanding of the subject, and who is apparently unable to stay on the subject. UN 181 was a GA resolution, but when it passed it was referred to the Security Council to determine if during the transitional period the situation in Palestine constituted a threat to peace, and, if so, whether the SC should supplement the authorization of the GA by taking measures under articles 39 and 41 of the charter. The SC did so invoking article 39 to stop any attempt to alter by force the resolution. It is irrelevant that Arabs rejected the resolution. Israel did not. On 14 May 1948, when Israel declared statehood under UN resolution 181 it declared that sovereignty within precisely delineated borders as spelled out in meticulous detail in Part II of the resolution. UN 181 was activated when Israel declared statehood. I did not mention international law, so your comments on that subject are not relevant

The Palestinians are correct Israel should withdraw from the Westbank and Jerusalem 100%. As far as the occupation is concerned Israel is 100% wrong and 100% hypocrite. It should be inconceivable that a country gains by keeping land occupied. As far as terrorists are concerned the civilian body count of the last five years points only to one guilty party. Time for America to take up its responsibility.

Of course it's always the Palestinians fault. Look at what they're making the Israeli do. The US should just walk away from funding them and so should the EU. If they're to have schools or police or firefighters, Let Israel incorporate them or provide the service. Or not. Neither side wants two states as evidenced by their action. Israel has done nothing. The Palestinians have stopped them from doing anything. Those Israeli gestures of accelerating construction and sending death squads are all the Palestinians' fault. "See what you made me do!" screamed the three-year-old.

The PALS are smart! They know that if Israel doesn't negotiate they can hold off and get a one state solution. The international community will demand it. One state means the end of the Zionist dream of a Jewish State and eventually the PALS will outnumber the Israelis and will control the elections. Its a winner for the PALS. All the benefits of equal citizenship. That would be great and serve the Israelis right!!

We want to talk about peace with you but while we do that were still going to carry on stealing your land, what do you say guys? One big joke. Time will come and justice will be served.

Whether the Pals like the US or not, the Americans are the only brokers that can work- as Israel ignores everyone else. Best they start on final status talks with this US administration who are likely to be as sympathetic as any. If they don't is starts to suggest they would prefer a one state, and to wait for demographics to work for them. They should know that the Israelis will shaft them on those as well (by changing the rules to be less democratic than even they are now), if it got to that, so best to get on now and start talking.

The Mediterranean Sea, the Sinai, the Jordan River, the Golan Heights, the Lebanese border. The OneState binational solution is the only solution.

The Palestinians will never negotiate in good faith. Both Fatah and Hamas will never recognize a Jewish State called Israel no matter what its'borders. They rejected the borders of 1948 so they will reject those of 1967 as well. The issue of settlements is a convenient way for the Palestinians never to have to negotiate hoping that their European allies backed by the threat of Arab oil and the dwindling Jewish demography in Israel and the World will in due course achieve its'ultimate aim-no Jewish State Israel. I anticipate that even if Israel agreed to return to the 1967 borders, the Palestinians would never sign a Peace agreement. The issue of the right of return of 10 million Palestinians (from the original 500,000 most of them now diseased) will be the pretext for non negotiation.A single State solution with the Jews expelled back to Europe is what will be agreed to. The haaretz rabble who talk about settlements are either very naive or very hypocritical.

Hello Mr. Saeb Erekat, I have admired your relentless call to Israeli officials over the yrs to abide by international law and hault their illegal expansion of settle- ment in the Palestinian territories and withdraw their forces to the 1967 Green Line. This has always been the position of American officials and all the US presidents dating back to the Eisenhower Administration as Jimmy Carter notes below. Hence it is a sad commentary today to hear the US Secretary of State side step this position in an effort to appease the outlaw regime in the Israeli establishment and its settler population Believe me this isn't the position of the American peoples either as many have asked that those conditions be backed with the withhold- ing of US aid esp. following the events in Gaza in 2009 and its officials ongoing criminal blockade of the Gaza Strip. Thus many share your disappointment & rejection of the Secretary's call and urge her not to deviate from the US position Dutch ?For more than a quarter century, Israeli policy has been in con- flict with that of the United States and the international community. Israel's occupation of Palestine has obstructed a comprehensive peace agreement in the Holy Land, regardless of whether Pale- stinians had no formalised government, one headed by Yasser Arafat or Mahmoud Abbas, or with Abbas as president and Ham- as controlling the parliament and cabinet. The unwavering U.S. position since Dwight Eisenhower's ad- ministration has been that Israel's borders coincide with those established in 1949, and, since 1967, the universally adopted UN Resolution 242 has mandated Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territories. This policy was reconfirmed even by Israel in 1978 and 1993, and emphasised by all American presidents, including George W. Bush. As part of the quartet, including Rus sia, the UN, and the European Union, he has endorsed a "Road Map" for peace.? http://www.cartercenter.org/news/documents/doc2320.html

Finally, Bibi has learned to play the "peace" game, just like Sharon did.

Under the Road Map 2003 Israel signed agreement to freeze ALL settlement construction including Natural growth in accordance with the Mitchell report. Israel has also been told countless times East Jerusalem is Occupied Territory and therefore colonizing it is illegal as is its annexation viewed as illegal under the International law of the principle of inadmissibility that territory taken by force cannot be retained. What part of the above does Israel NOT understand? Erekat is asking Israel to abide by its aggreements and International Law.

you are in no way related to ancient israelites, its not you land never was, palestinians ARE related to ancient israelites, and the rest of you blathering is only to and from yourself and has nothing to do with g-d or prophecy

Walked away from negotiations in 2000, and still hoofin' it as far away as the negotiation table as possible. Fortunately the status quo suits Israel. Israel, may the Holy One of Israel's Hand of protection always be upon you.

What's even about 200 million Arabs vs. 5 million Jews? Is that not good enough odds? How about 1.5 Billion Muslims vs 12 million Jews?. Nope, you are talking about the designated Arabs who call themselves Palestinians to make it seem more even. you don't want an even fight, you really want a massacre of the Jews. Why don't you come right out and say so?

The arabs don't want peace talks because talks will eventually result in a peace agreement with Israel. There is no room for peace with Israel and the recognition of the Nation of Israel. The charters of all arab organizations calls for the extermination of the Jews and the State of Israel. Until the arabs join the 21st century and admit to themselves that Israel is a fact they will not go to the peace table. They will always have an excuse for not talking peace. Therefore they leave Israel no other alternative but for Israel to grow within it's normal population expansion and need of it's citizens.

In reply to Jason's distorted idea of history; 1)the 1947 borders were anything but favourable to the Jews. 2)the Arabs rejected them immediately. 3)It was the Arabs who attempted a land grab by invading in 1948 to frustrate the will of the UN and ended up creating the present mess. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

" Im tired of this annoying tit for tat fight, I want to see an even fight between these two." Poor thing. You missed out on the wars of 1948, 1967, and 1973 when the underdog won?

"The demographic changes were intentionally created by Israel against world opinion and international law." When Jordan and Egypt captured the territories in 1948, they kicked out all the Jews. They declared another war on Israel and lost control over the territories. Jews got to move back in. Now, you have Jews living where they were only absent for 19 years. You have Arabs there too. Should Jews be the only ones to remain, "demographically stagnant?" What about the Arabs living there? Should they be ordered to freeze the growth of their communities in order for there to be no demographic changes until the issues over borders are resolved? Why are Jews the only ones called upon to freeze their communities? They were only gone for 19 years.

The PA still thinks that they only have to stay adamant and inflexible and they'll have all their demands of Israel delivered on a plate.Perhaps Obama'll think next time,before he makes impossible demands of Israel.It just gives the PA unrealistic hopes. I doubt that there can be a peace process again until the present PA is replaced with one that has no old hang ups. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

Palestinians should hold out and get stronger, Hamas needs to import better weapons, such as stinger missiles and scuds. West Bank needs to start smuggling weapons in from Jordan finally. This way we can have the war that the world is waiting to see. Im tired of this annoying tit for tat fight, I want to see an even fight between these two.

Mr. Obama insisted that Israel suspend settlement construction before negotiations. On that basis Mr. Abbas was emboldened to follow suit. Netanyahu said no and Obama blinked. He now expects Abbas to back down, yet again. Obama had earlier asked(?) Abbas to postpone discussion of the Goldstone report. He did, at serious political cost. Abbas may appear stubborn, but why should he be negotiating about settlements while Israel continues building them, as happened with leaders from Barak to Olmert? We all knew forty years ago that the day would come when Israel and their supporters would argue that "demographic changes" make it impossible to close or reduce settlements. The demographic changes were intentionally created by Israel against world opinion and international law. If USA cannot offer leadership, including putting a leash on Israel, it should butt out and let the UN conduct these negotiations.

If Israel and the Palestinians were only left to their own devices, problems would have been solved long ago. But everyone feels he has to meddle: the Arab States, the Muslim States, the USSR - now Russia, the EU, the US. As a result, the Palestinians get a false feeling of powert they do not possess in reality. leading them to catastrophe after catastrophe. If only we were left alone, we would also solve our problems with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.

You don't like American justice because you want Arab-muslim justice. According to whose law are you specifying your desire for Justice and according to whose interpretation of such law are you willing to submit. Did the Arabs comply with the UN "law" in 1948 when they invaded Israel? By what right do these law braking criminals now claim to shelter under the law that they violated?

You obviously don't know Israeli tactics. No, they won't squirm at all to avoid talks.They would love talks - ad infinitum, ad nauseum. After all, talking hasn't prevented even a single hilltop outpost from going up. Talking is the smoke screen behind which the settlement enterprise thrives ! David

Abbas knows full well that Bibi cannot deliver anything more than a 10 month freeze in Judea & Samaria and the completion of projects already started and the minute he even talks about the idea of a freeze in Jerusalem he will loose his coalition. If we have an election even if she invites the arabs to join her she couldn't get a coalition & she would find herself minority in Kadima willing to accept those demands. She certainly wouldn't need to worry about loosing her job at primaries she wouldn't have a party to lead. Barak also has no chance of delivering the goods that Obama & Abbas wants. So bring down Bibi and you don't even get a functioning government and thats going to be able to even make any concessions from Israel and any dreams of Obamas of an arab state before he is kicked out in 2012 are history It may even lead to Hamas taking over Judea & Samaria because Fatah are getting them nowhere. Abbas is playing a dangerous game and his people have more to loose than Israel

to accept Israel,s expansion but rejoice in the knowledge that that same expansion is the death knell of the State of Israel. Eventually Palestinians will tire of this two state zcam and demand their right as citizens of ISRAEL---One man ---one vote----end of Israel. Oh well----who said Zionists never mis an opportunity to miss an Opportunity. Did not the Jews lose there "parish" once before----something along the same lines----greed.

Now the Palistinians REAL intensions is seen Quote: Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat emphasized that peace talks will only resume if Israel implements a complete freeze on settlement construction, including in Jerusalem. AS in above sentence the Palistinians want Jeruselem NOT JUST the Israel border towns. THey want the whole part of ISRAEL.

Otherwise, negotiations don't make sense. Both sides need to keep their commitments. To say anything I committed to is now considered a pre-condition is not a way to move forward.

The Geneva Convention was agreed to after the Europeans forcibly transferred millions of Germans out of East Prussia and Silesia. Millions of other Europeans were similarly displaced as a result of the War (WW2). The Geneva Convention is a hypocritical document. It does not apply when a country is fighting to avoid extermination, as Israel was in 1948, 1967 and 1973. Arab apologists only want to apply international law to the Israelis.

"Both Clinton and Judeh spoke out against new Israeli housing construction..." LOL, they can "speak out" till the cows come home. "Speaking out" is a mere joke for the Israeli rightwing government. Withholding $$$ for any monies spent on settlements would make a more serious impression on the settlement addicts. David

The Arabs are appealing to the world to force Israel to bend to the Arab demands. How is that interpreted as negotiations? The arabs should instead present their demands directly to Israel and negotiate with Israel the terms of its surrender. Or Israel could offer its terms to the Arabs. what we have had for the past 70 years has been the Arabs presenting their demands to the UN. This is like negotiating with themselves, since the majority of the UN members are Arab/Moslem or are economically dominated by the Arab/Moslem countries. The "Quartet" is even worse than the UN since all of the four members are Muslim dominated--especially the US and its entanglement from Nigeria through Sudan,, Egypt, S Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan to the Phillipines and Indonesia.

I did. Especially when you said: "You are a typical Jew. When Jews read or hear something they dont like, they immediately attack the reporter as a liar or anti-semite, or both." and... "You have a great deal of audacity, and are a typically insulting Jew"

US presidents from the Democratic party only turn to international affairs after their domestic agenda implodes: ie Jimmy Cater and Bill Clinton. Democrats run on a domestic policy agenda. Yet the current US president is set to wag his finger at Israel during his first year in office. His domestic agenda is imploding as well. Even the far left wants to kill his healthcare reform paln. The clowns in Washington have set the US on a collision course of complete economic collapse by way of excessive printing of dollars. Israel need not concern itself with America, its news media, its presidents, and its dollars any more.

The only thing they are after is defeat of Israel and subjugation of the Jews like they practiced for the past 1300 year since Mohamed. Israel should not negotiate any peace with the so called Palestinians who are nothing less than a spearhead of the Arab/Muslim onslaught on the Jews.

"How can Palestinians talk about borders while every day Israel continues to create "facts on the ground" that prejudge the outcome such talks?" In other words, Jews are to freeze their communities because it would create, "facts on the ground." But what about Arab communities? Should they also be required to freeze their communities? Or are they the only ones permitted to create facts on the ground?

calls for Jordanian tanks and Infantry to once again (as they did in 1948) invade Israel and seize land, expelling or killing Jews. Can they do it without the help of British officers? As I recall, in 1967 Israel suggested Jordan stay out of the war. They didn't and lost the lands they had conquered 19 years earlier. The second time they did not have the help of the British.

"How can Palestinians talk about borders while every day Israel continues to create "facts on the ground" that prejudge the outcome such talks?" So, if Jews are supposed to freeze the growth of their communities in order not to create "facts on the ground," does that mean Arabs must do the same? Or are Arabs the only ones permitted to create facts on the ground?

Yes, Ron, I have taken notes, espcially when you wrote: "You have a great deal of audacity, and are a typically insulting Jew" and... "You are a typical Jew. When Jews read or hear something they dont like, they immediately attack the reporter as a liar or anti-semite, or both."

When the Jordan and Egypt grabbed Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem and ethnically cleansed those territories of Jews, the anti-Israeli nitwits didn't scream, "Land theft! Border modification!" When the Arabs declare another war 19 years later, lose control over those territories, and Jews move back in, the anti-Israeli imbeciles scream, "Land theft! Border modification!"

...before resumtion of negotiations. But not enough, they want that negotiations restart from the point they were stopped 2008. (Olmert offered a 100% land swap). Now there are two options: 1) the Palestinians really expect that Israel fully corresponds to their claims - very unlikely, unless they believe only through pressure Israel can be forced (by USA and the internat. community, or through resumption of the "armed fight") to relinquish the whole territories (pretty irrational belief, but not unreasonable for Arab thinking). 2) the Palestinians don't expect Israel ever corresponds to their unrealistic claims, but insisting on them make the re-lauch of negotiations de facto impossible. This means, they actually aren't interested in a negotiated peace with Israel based on compromise, they appear satisfied with the status quo. The latter however is a nonsense, even for Palestinians. But then, what do the Palestinians want in truth? Let's quess the only remaining third option ...

None of the agreements that Israel has signed with the Palestinian Arabs since 1993 have ever committed Israel to suspend building in the disputed territories. All of them have commetted the Palestinian Arabs to end violence and incitement against Israel. If Israel, the US and the international community expect the Palestinian Arabs to abide by there solemn commitments they have already signed, what's the point of trying to negotiate another one?

Peace talks can't begin or go anywhere with 40% of "palestinians" ruled by a terrorist regime that rejects recognizing Jewish Israel with any borders, and offers only a "10-year cease fire". I mean, what does Abbas and the PA offer Israel in exchange for a state? Land-for-peace? Zero, nothing. No deal possible with rejectionist Hamas and its rocket terrorism ruling Gaza. So Israel has every right to keep doing what they were doing before Oslo, since the Arabs obviously have no intention of reciprocating with peace and normalization. Can't be peace with W. Bank while Gaza still wages jihad. Israel should just annex settlement blocs of Jewish towns plus a 10-mi. wide strip of the Jordan River rift valley, isolating "W. Bank" as "Gaza East". Nothing goes in or out except for good behavior. The only workable solution for the next 50 years. Time to ship Abbas and PLO back to Tunis, since they don't want to negotiate. And what could be more worthless than Obama "guarantees"- what a fool.

While the rest of the world accepts the right of the Jewish religion to exist, but debates the right of the Jewish nation to exist in the land of Israel. There is a great deal of admiration for the Jewish religion among our bigoted friends, its just those arrogant, war-mongering Jewish people that they can't stand. Why won't the Jews lay down their defences and let peace reign? "End the Occupation of Arab Land" and "Tear down the Apartheid Wall" they cry. Its not their land that they are willing to evacuate and not their busses that blow up.

"Erekat says no to negotiations" Martin. The palestinians are addicted to two things : 'blaming israel' & keep saying 'no' !

How can Palestinians talk about borders while every day Israel continues to create "facts on the ground" that prejudge the outcome such talks? As long as Israel continues to colonize the West Bank and East Jerusalem, there is nothing to talk about. Bibi is just looking for a fig leaf to avert attention from Israeli expansionism.

You're just as guilty of blowing off hot air. UN General Assembly Resolutions like 181 are non-binding...as all know...it sets no borders at all. This was rejected by the Arabs anyway. But you do bring up a point; the words International Law are vapid and without meaning in the UN if 57 Muslim countries each get to vote and Israel has 1 vote. When all the Muslim countries are given 1 vote only regarding matters relating to Israel, the sense of the world could be better represented. The clock is ticking....on the 10 month freeze on new settlements.. once over after Pal intransigence, the E1 will be closed and the Jerusalem issue will be decided.

to the Arab and Muslim world in Cairo earlier this year, the Palestinians should do exactly what they are doing - refuse to discuss peace until a full freeze on illegal settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is declared, WITH NO EXCEPTIONS. The US should do all it can to enforce this, otherwise Obama will become what most of his predecessors have become - a hypocrite.

Mr Hardman, enough already! You inundate us with claims of expired treaties. Expired means they are no valid. It doesn't seem to register with you when that is pointed out to you. You advise others to read history, but your repetition of such history is almost always irrelevant, or faulty or, in this case factually wrong. The San Remo conference simply assigned the Mandate for Palestine to Britain. It defined no borders. It said: "The High Contracting Parties agree to entrust ... the administration of Palestine within such boundaries as may be determined by the Principal Allied Powers to a Mandatory." UN resolution 181 determined the borders of Israel. With the Israeli declaration of statehood, the Mandate expired. Please take notes.

Does this apply to Texas re the Mexican/American war???? or the Native American Indians claim in some western states?? Or is international law applied selectively, like Israel but no one else??? Anyway time is on the side of Israel...the Arabs wilt and Israel continues to prosper...

No more negotiations should be conducted with PA. They are unable to control anything including their own population. All their agreements are worthless as they mean nothing. PA should be treated as an outsiders illegally settling next to the State of Israel.

No to American no to peace tals, restart from where they delivered the last rejection. I knew we could count on them. I have no faith in any Israeli government but have total faith in the Pals. Thank G-d.

A bit of information and education regarding palestinians whouldn't do you and many other people any harm... A very large majority of palestinians are laic and nothing to do with Jihadists. Muslim palestinian students go to christian schools for instance. This is by the way what Arafat offered as a palestinian state where muslims, jews and christians would live together. Once you understand that part you'll understand so many other things about this conflict. Good luck !

The Geneva Conventions and other international tractates recognize that land a) conquered in the course of a war; and b) the disposition of which is unresolved through subsequent peace treaties is "occupied" and subject to international laws of war and international humanitarian law. This includes special protection of individuals in those territories, limitations on the use of land in those territories, and access by international relief agencies Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states in paragraph 1, [2] Individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the Occupying Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of their motive. and states in paragraph 6, The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies. Peace

Palestinians demand Israel agree to all these demands before negotiations even start--literally as a PRE-CONDITION..Fine, Israel doesn't accept and Palestinians wallow in their smug unhappiness..The dog barks, the caravan passes...And if they think they will in time engineer a non-Jewish "state of all its citizens", good luck to them, as I doubt Jews will agree to national suicide after 2,000 years of exile..

The settlements must end and the settlers must go. That's bottom line. Hillary Clinton must fight the settlements head on and withhold US aid & funding accordingly. That's what the American people expect today. No more sweet talk....time to take the bull by the horns and stop it. (So what if the settlers protests or threaten. It will be their final say.) Dutch

With Ramallah as its capital.

I'm not beating around the Bush and I don't have any of this. Money. The US is broke and Carter was able to get Israel and Egypt together because at the time, the US had plenty of this. It isn't the thing that anybody wants to say because it sounds crappy and Obama is supposed to be the Messiah that will lead the US out of it's economic quagmire. But yes; with money anything is possible.

In refusing to negotiate until ALL settlement building is stopped the PA has in effect given control over peace negotiations to the folks who want to expand the settlements. The gutless punks who run americas foreign policy will never force Israel to stop building. Mitchell's letters - return to sender!

This whole border dispute does make me laugh, Israel must be the only country in history asked to return land won in a defensive war. The US should save its breath calling for peace talks, There have already been 18 mortars and rockets fired at Israel this year alone.

High time America quits supporting Israel and go for justice. This means to force Israel to leave the whole West Bank including Eastern Jerusalem and Gaza. The current Israel is a Rogue state that is mainly endangering its own long term existence. A just peace is better for everybody.

#9 be careful what you say! If "Jordan has nothing to do with Palestine", then the west bank is not occupied territory. And if not them, who then? Best candidate is Turkey who ruled there until 1917.

Good for the PA! They need to stand up and not bow to pressure that is ultimately one-sided toward the Israelis. Why should the PA trust the USA? Every administration, including Obama, has stabbed them in the back and not made demands on Israel that have stood up. Israel has not frozen settlements, instead have guaranteed that construction will start as soon as the freeze is over. The US does nothing to stop Israel, but wants the PA to enter into0 negotiations with preconditions. Ridiculous.

Many times the Palestinians have participated in American sponsored peace talks, which went nowhere and acted as a cover for Israels constant expansion. America has done this a number of times, along with providing Israel with tens of billions of dollars for weapons, unlimited political support and additional financial support. Obviously, America is part of the problem and not part of the answer. Until this changes, the Palestinians should reject more American bias and trickery.

The Islamist-Jihadists-PA have no interest in peace. Peace cannot be forced on people. It must emanate from the heart, mind and soul. But the dark forces are devoid of peace. Their peace crap is just a crap. Israel should stop wasting its time on them. And America should stop wasting its time on them. There are other better and more pressing things to be done than be bogged down in the cesspool of Islamist-Jihadism.

since it has become evident that israel is not serious about it. its only intentions are to grab more and more land and to build more and more settlements.

Let history record that Mrs.Clinton ,Secretary of State of the USA ,most forcefully insisted on dividing Jerusalem into a Jewish and Moslem sector . Then let history record the Palestiniasns continued their ethnic cleansing policy and all Christian Arabs left Jerusalem exactly as they have been forced to leave Palestinian controlled Bethlehem and the Christian world stood by in silence just as they have done in Bethlehem . Thanks Mrs .Clinton for being such a good friend to Israel and the Christian World .

Esther is right, as so often. Why should negotiations work now, when they have got nowhere for so many years? The Quartet should lay down what should happen in some detail. 1967 borders is the obvious start. Clinton and Blair should be banned from the discussions.

And again Palestinians have rejected an American-Israeli peace initiative and again Israel is expanding its construction in the East Jerusalem district populated by Arabs. And again no one wants to compromise especially the Israeli cabinet. There is no peace today and will not be in the near or far future. Uncle Sam supports the Israeli expansions silently pretending to be a fair peace broker. Logically Arabs should give up their dreams for an Eastern part of Jerusalem a long time ago (in 1967) because Israel will NEVER back up from its dream of one Jerusalem as a capital of Jewish state.

1. Land under the control of Arabic municipalities has been cut by half since the beginning of the state of Israel, despite the fact that their population has grown by a factor of 7. 2. Israeli Arabs constitute 20% of the population yet they only live on 3.5% percent of the land. 3. Urban plans for Arabic towns take on average twice as long to be authorized compared to Urban plans for Jewish towns. 4. Land around Arabic villages in the Galilee have been confiscated by the government to build Jewish only settlements, along with industrial and other complexes to support them, leaving Arabic towns with no room to expand to, turning them to extremely crowded places. Yet no body talks about "Natural Growth" for Arabic Towns. Please stop the Hypocrisy

Good old Jordan oh I mean Palestine. The British and its Empire created Trans Jordan which was nearly all of the available land at the time, so it was the British who created the problems like they did all over the world. As I've stated Jordan is really Palestine; why aren't they asked to divide their capital? Also have some respect for a democratic country which is surrounded by a load of undemocratic tyrannies of which Jordan is a member

Just to remind you, the UN resolution of 1947 regarding the borders, have been adopted by Israel and rejected by the Arabs. The Arabs initiated a war against Israel, they lost the war and with it they lost also some territories. War is not children game and there are consequences for aggression. The same is applied to the territories Israel conquered in 1967. But Israel is generous enough and is willing to concede some of these territories.

The Palestinian leadership is afraid of the responsibility to run a state. A government is required to take care of its citizens and provide them with many services and the Palestinian leadership finds it difficult to accomplish. It is much easier to whine and blame Israel for all the miseries of the Palestinians.

..are serious about achieving peace. they are only serious about the "peace process".

If there is a will to make Peace, there is definitely a way.Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 provide the basis with a minor amendment to provide compensation to some refugees and allow the rest to settle in Israel/Palestine. Jerusalem should be the undivided Capital of the States of Israel/Palestine.Citizens of both nations should be allowed free access to both States and encouraged to set up JVs to promote goodwill in trade and commerce.Israel should trade freely with Arab States and tourism should be encouraged. Netanyahu,Lieberman,Ayalon,Meshal and a few Hamas leaders should be transferred to the Azores and banned to return the new Israel/Palestine for their negative and extremist policies.

the borders of israel were defined in 1920 at san remo !! the general assembly in 1947 had no powers to partition the mandate of 1922 !

... towards placating the settlements, there can be no talks and no peace... ... all these "temporary" avoidance tactics by Bibi & Barak are not convincing anybody, are merely a ploy to drag on indecisively for as long as possible, while more and more fact-on-the-settlement-ground are created... ... the world, the Pals see it all so clearly...

for mark of lewiston and his anti israel tirades ; the jordanian army wouldn,t last 12 hours . so your wishlist would be ignored by them . for mick and and another loose cannon in ulster concentrate on uniting ireland!

They should only ask for equal rights in Israel. Israel has been very lucky that the Pals were to stupid to understand this one state solution, but now they are forced to realise this simple truth.

Victor/Paul would certainly fit right into the Shankill, but I doubt if he's ever been to Belfast.

the terrorists are no interested in a two-state solution. they are interested in the elimination of israel. gaza is a hotbed of islamic terrorists which include hamas, islamic jihad and al qaeda groups. none of them is interested in a two-state solution. their only goal is the destruction of israel. without the presence of the idf in the west bank, it would be taken over by the terrorists.

there were no borders before 1967. any such presentation by the obama administration will lead to total failure.

By all means, Victor-Paul, bring in the Jordanian tanks and infantry. let them take back control of the entire West Bank. They're sure to let the settlements expand.

Clinton (and presumably Obama) are absolutely right to move past red herrings like settlement building, and to the end game with deadlines. Hopefully the Palestinians will agree to start the talks; and then it will be fascinating to watch the Israelis try and squirm around to an excuse to avoid the talks, and certainly to achieving anything with them. Well done Clinton, good luck in sticking to the plan, no doubt in the face of huge pressure from lobbies in Israel and the US.

... suddenly cannot be resolved by well-meaning but naive individuals proposing to stabilize superficial rearrangements on the ground without addressing the determining force of the volatile religious currents ebbing deep underneath that dictate the final placement of things. Militant Islam still strives to mount its nostalgic high horse, drawing up its dignity with it, and to then gallop with trampling pride to relive a former glory. But it's no longer the 7th Century CE and their momentum has waned and they are far away from their ancestral home, and most importantly the former owners have also now returned with a flourishing vengeance to create formidable, prophetical facts on the ground that have to be contended with. The revisionist religion will have to give way or bear the scars of going against G-d's grain.

Israel actually set their own borders in May of 1948 and they were accepted by all countries except those in the Middle East. Thats why Israel NEEDS a negotiated peace. A negotiated peace will legalize their theft of territory outside their declared 1948 borders. Under International Law no country can legally recognize any land annexed beyond those borders. Abbas should declare they will negotiate but only under the provisions of Int. Law. Since Netanyahu wants to start over without honoring the progress acheived with Omert, Abbas should insist negotiations begin at Israels declared 1948 borders. IF ISRAEL IS NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LAW WHY SHOULD ANY COUNTRY!

Yes! The borders were defined by the UN in 1947 AND ACCEPTED BY ISRAEL. The war of 1967 was an illegal modification of those borders. The Palestinians are willing to swap land with Israel, to give as well as take. But Israel has refused to even consider the Palestinian proposal. It is time to insist that Israel engage with Palestine and negotiate a solution to the border problem. Once the sovereign state of Palestine is established and its borders clearly defined, all other problems can be solved by negotiations between EQUAL states. But until Israel aknowledges the sovereign state of Palestine, none of the problems of the past 60 years can be dealt with and the world is stuck with the same old same old. It is time to move on, toward a better future.

Why postpone discussions on the borders and Jerusalem if these core issues are correlated to the development of existing settlements and all the inhabitants of this region's future? When two states are now the realization of most people concerning this region, then it's important to delineate what was intended decades ago in this area, and the sooner the better for both Israelis and Palestinians to coexist in peace and global peace.

No need to shrink settlements, just need to include the settlements and the Jewish minority in the new Palestinian state, Have the Arab's take over 24/7 security in the A&B regions and create an integrated police force for the C regions. Then over time allow for Jews and Arab's to live anywhere in Palestine.

The borders were defined in 1947 by the UN grab of palestine for european jewry. There is no way in hell the borders should be any different today.

There will always be a place for you on the Shankill if living in the new Palestinian state is unpalatable

If Hillary Clinton can't accept the fact that Israel refuses to bend so she and her handler Obama can look good, that's just too bad! Israel owes nothing to no one! Let the Arab world divide up the Palestinians as they see fit. Let Israel reclaim the West Bank and Gaza. Problem solved.

I may at last have realized that Obama has jumped into something he just doesn't understand. The US Secretary of State is making decisions with the Jordanians about what Israel and the Palestinians should do? The West Bank would have been returned to Jordan a long time ago, as Sinai was to the Egyptians, if the Jordanians had been willing to negotiate - and the PLO would never, never have been recognized! The best thing that could possibly have heppened!

Based on Hillary Clinton's previous public statements, and the need for her to garner Jewish voter support in New York and Florida if she is to replace Obama at the end of his term in office, the Palestinians cannot be expected to accept her as a legitimate honest broker.

'Why not say every month that goes by, Israel has to reduce its West Bank population by 10,000...' Why not? Because no one is in a position to make Israel do anything. That's why peace will never come.

Just what are Jordan's responsibilities, and what is Jordan waffling about? Jordan has nothing to do with Palestine, Jordan was an independent sovereign state within its own borders before Israel was. Hillary may be totally lost, but she knows how to find the purse strings for the US aid program if she has to, so Israel should be careful.

...not in the real world. There won't be a meaningful 'right of return.' Israel has to withdraw to the 1967 borders -- if she can arrange some side deal with Palestine over territory, great, but that can't be a condition. Israel can demand that the Palestinian state lack significant offensive capabilities. She has no right to water or to any other resource that lies within the Palestinian state. That's it. That's the deal -- in the real world. It's not what I would prefer, but that IS the deal. It's there. Israel just has to accept it. Basically, everything that's happened in the last ten years has been Israel kicking up dust to obscure this point.

There are too many forces acting against the freezing of settlements. In practical terms they can't be frozen. Settlements are a side issue, a reason for the Palestinians to avoid negotiating. The settlements are just a manifestation the fact that there is no agreement on borders. And if you can't get agreement on borders then the dispute goes on and on and on.

Even Mitchell is coming to the conclusions that the we the US will have to sanction Israel into submission. Cant wait till we allow Abbas resolution calling for an independant Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capitol to pass in the United Nations. Your free ride is over, time to end this once and for all. God bless Obama, Hilary Clinton, and George Mitchell.

Everybody is tip[toeing around the real issue.The conflict of the 'pals'should not be with Israel.It should be with jordan...jordan is sitting on territories robbed from Jewish people by the brits in 1923.Their population is anyways 80% pal...Let's call a "spade a spade",let them have jordan,where there is plenty of land and a little population and get out of dodge.LEAVE ISRAEL IN PEACE...

"They must." Really? According to who? The notion of a Palestinian state today is absolutely ridiculous. First off, they are divided and facing a civil war with Hamas. Israel will NEVER ALLOW another Terror state in the West Bank. So what is left? Abbas is the Islamist In A Suit, Fatah still vies to compete for terror attacks. The whole notion of a Palestinian state right now is a sad joke--or a coming disaster.

the "peace" . Their only success was convincing americans that this Jordanian doc with suicide belt was working for "the peace in Afghanistan" .

instead of pointless waffling its time for jordan to own up to its responsibilities ! hilary is totally lost so she is no help at all !

Why not say every month that goes by, Israel has to reduce its West Bank population by 10,000. I'm sure they will come up with an agreement very quickly under those conditions.

putting deadlines on peace. What a fantastic idea! A true peace isnt really something that can be forced. Not to mention that any agreement as of now wouldnt have hamas on board. Also not to mention hamas does not view the Abbas' government as legitimate. This rather non binding situation needs more fiber. As usual, Hilary portrays her ineptitude.

Status of Jerusalem issue is a non-starter for peace talks. And look who is talking about peace talks. These two won't be of much help

OBAMA OUT IN 2012!