Jerusalem sources: Peace talks with PA to resume very soon
Sources believe that U.S. will pressure Israel to move toward peace in return for U.S. help on Goldstone.
By Barak Ravid Tags: George Mitchell Barack Obama Israel news PalestiniansThe U.S. envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, was expected to arrive in Israel on Wednesday in order to continue efforts to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Jerusalem sources believe that the resumption of talks will be announced soon, possibly immediately following Mitchell's visit.
Jerusalem officials stressed that "U.S. assistance in curbing the effects of the Goldstone report will produce significant pressure on Israel by the Obama administration to move forward with the diplomatic process."
Israel has asked the world to help curtail the negative effects generated by a damning report compiled by a UN fact-finding mission, headed by Richard Goldstone, on Israel's offensive in Gaza last winter. The report, which Israel has called biased and unfair, accuses both Israel and Hamas of war crimes.
Last week, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Mitchell held separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian delegations. The Israeli team included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's envoy Yitzhak Molcho and Defense Ministry Chief of Staff Mike Herzog. The Palestinian team included top negotiator Saeb Erekat and several of his advisors.
The meetings centered around the Palestinian demands to set a two-year timeframe for peace talks and to define the basis of the talks as the return to the 1967 borders, as well as other demands.
A senior official in Jerusalem who was briefed on the content of the meetings said that progress was made and that the gaps between the sides on the opening conditions and time table of the talks were significantly narrowed. "The final disagreements are can be resolved and we are extremely close to an announcement of resumption of talks," the official said.
Officials believe that the U.S. administration will now pressure Israel to provide compensation for America's help in curbing the effects of the Goldstone report. The top echelon of the U.S. administration, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have applied heavy pressure on the Palestinian side to refrain from adopting the findings of the report. It was apparently American pressure that led to the Palestinian Authority's decision not to pursue a discussion of the report at the International Criminal Court.
Israel's argument against the Goldstone report was that an international discussion of what the report terms Israeli war crimes would deal a "death blow" to attempts to achieve peace around the world.
"After they [the U.S.] saved us from Goldstone, and our argument relied on the desire to advance peace, the Americans will want to see an Israeli move toward peace talks with the Palestinians," the senior official said.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
Obama and Hillary are doing the smart move and also backing Bibi by taking the pressure off the "Goldstone Report." When AIPAC took US Congress-People to Israel in August, the question asked of the US Lawmakers most frequently is the question is whether the USA will support Israel in danger or war. Every official answers that question --YES--and the USA has demonstrated that point every time, especially during the Yom Kipper War of '73; and with $3.0 billion annual gift for "defensive weapons" which are used for offense. Israel is like a teenage girl who constantly needs assurance that her "boyfriend" still loves her.."do you love me", "will you help defend me!" This American says: grow up and make peace with your neighhbors. Israel is sixty-one years old and still has border disputes.
If everyone is held accountable prior to Peace Talks, it's plain and simple, there won't be any Peace Talks One more thing, if Peace Talk actually were to take place and be effective, you won't have anything more to write about For starters, Arabs would have to be held accountable (a word you love to use), for having started all the Wars since 1948
who admired Norway for being anti-Israeli and had been saying Israel should trust Assad and give him Golan.
he unknowingly shot himself in the foot when he and Ms Clinton "Demanded" Israel stop all 'settlement' activity. A real shame that he has no biblical training. Jeremiah Wrights brand of "Christianity' is more like the black chapter of the KKK. Obama, the consummate ignorant politician who favors muslims over Americans or her allies? Pardon me but, he's like a Chicago hillbilly. Charm can only go so far and his has stopped on a dead end street If Obama cannot secure jobs for America, he will lose his..
Simple really, 9-11 was Americas wake up call. Now, America loves Israel all the more.
Simple really, 9-11 was Americas wake up call. Now, America loves Israel all the more.
There is peace to be made but not with the current frame work and attitudes. If the Arab world is willing to accept a Jewish state than there is a chance but if not it's a waste of time as usual.
jordan is the home and the solution for all arabs in israels territory !
No compromises, no obligation to U.S. for anything. Israel must act only in accordance with its own self-interest, against the internationl jew-hate junkies. The U.S., if it has any morals left, should oppose the 'GallStone' report for it's own benefit, and out of repulsion for the rotten moral decay of the UN agenda.
Mr. Netanyahu has been most outspoken in announcing his rejection of any restraint in settlement expansion and thus any hope of peace. How can there be 'peace' talks when Israel refuses to end aggression? If there is to be no end to expansion of settlements until there are no Arabs in Judea and Samaria; hen how can there be any peace? Mr. Netanyahu would not be Prime Minister if he were to withdraw from Judea and Samaria. Thus there will be no peace between Israel and any Arab state which would be in the District of Judea and Samaria. There can be no peace.
Bland, lofty and unsubstantial; speechy, cheesy and balooney. Everything is in a downslope and yet Obama gives more of the same recipe. If domestically there's mostly bad news, then the world is a stage for success. But for success in forging peace between Israelis and Palestinians, or much more crucial, to confront Iran, he needs a testosterone shot. Something a verbal liberal democrat recoils just like cats recoil from water.
"Jerusalem officials stressed that "U.S. assistance in curbing the effects of the Goldstone report will produce significant pressure on Israel by the Obama administration to move forward with the diplomatic process." " Protest is in order: Israel must be held to legal accountability in light of the Goldstone Report as well as the illegality of ALL settlements in the Occupied Territories (East of the 1967 armistice line) according to the 4th Geneva Convention and other international laws and principles outlawing territorial expansion by conquest, and settling occupied territory. Obama as a lawyer, should also be held accountable to respect international law.
AFter all his other failures, Obama is forced to pursue a course of forcing Israel/Palestinian negotiations He needs to accomplish something 1) Olympic Games went to Brazil, Mr. Charm couldn't convince the IOC that Chicago was the place for the Games 2) Unemployment is 9.8%, despite his promise it wouldn't go over 8% 3) Stimulus plan isn't stimulating 4) Cash for Clunkers was temporary fix, car sales dropped 50% in Sept. 5)Banks aren't lending, economy is in a slump 6) Obama Healthcare, opposed by the majority of Americans who don't want Canadian/English style health care
Abbas sold out the people of Gaza for the sake of his masters Obama and Netanyahu. He is nothing but a puppet and a coward. The people are furious for what he has done.
abbas and his boy dahlan will give you everything od palestine for the right amount of $
THere's nothing left to negotiate....Bibi declared to the world no to jerusalem, no to refugees.....whats left to negotiate? Abbas is a clown for bending over to american/israeli pressure on the goldstone report...he is seen as a collaborator by his people...and I hope they make him & his 2 dollar party pay in the next election.
The hypocritical PA Arabs, who wanted the IDF to crush Hamas in Cast Lead, will in any case be forwarding the report in March. Moreover, the US wants the report to disappear because it is guilty of the "war crime" of defending itself against terrorism in Afgahnistan. If Bibi makes concessions based on this lunacy, he will regret it.