Mitchell to arrive in Mideast amid hopes for renewed peace talks
Netanyahu welcomes Arab League decision to support indirect Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.
By News Agencies Tags: Israel news Middle East peace Arab LeagueThe U.S. special envoy for Middle East peace will travel to the region over the weekend to see if Israel and the Palestinians are ready to begin indirect peace talks, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday.
George Mitchell's visit follows a declaration of support by Arab League ministers for such talks, a gesture that Washington hopes will allow the two sides to resume a dialogue, albeit via U.S. mediators, more than a year after negotiations broke off.
U.S. officials brushed aside criticism that if the talks began, the two sides would not even be in the same room, saying they would ultimately have to sit down together to end the six-decade conflict and that indirect talks were a start.
Having declared Israeli-Palestinian peace a priority when he took office in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama has little to show for his efforts so far and U.S. officials seized on the Arab ministers' stance as a step in the right direction.
"We were very pleased by the endorsement that came out of Cairo today," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters in Brasilia. "(We) are very committed to try to bring about the two-state solution and we hope the proximity talks will be the beginning of that process."
"This is positive," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters. "Senator Mitchell will return to the region in the next few days to continue our efforts to relaunch negotiations as soon as possible."
A U.S. official who spoke on condition that he not be named said Mitchell would leave over the weekend.
Arab League ministers earlier on Wednesday supported the U.S. call for so-called "proximity talks" between Israel and the Palestinians under which Mitchell would shuttle between the two sides in an effort to end the six-decade conflict.
However, they said indirect negotiations should last no more than four months, should not automatically lead to direct talks and they questioned Israel's desire for a "just peace."
The public stance by the Arab ministers was designed to give Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas regional cover to resume talks despite Israel's refusal to halt all building in settlements on the West Bank and in Jerusalem.
Crowley declined to say when indirect talks might begin, who might take part in them or where they might lead.
A second U.S. official who spoke on condition that he not be named suggested that they might resemble Mitchell's efforts over the last year in which he has traveled between the two sides, and to regional players, to try to resume talks.
"Mechanically you should expect proximity talks to look roughly like the talks you've had about relaunching negotiations over the past year," this official said, without elaborating.
Netanyahu: Conditions ripening for peace talks
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier Wednesday welcomed the Arab League decision to support U.S.-brokered indirect peace talks with the Palestinians.
"It seems that the conditions are ripening for the renewal of negotiations between us and the Palestinians," he told the Knesset, during a special session Wednesday.
"In the Middle East you need two to tango, but it could be that we need three to tango and we might need to leapfrog at first but the obstacle isn't and never was Israel."
"The world understands - and how - that this government wants negotiations and has taken steps, not simple ones, to promote talks," Netanyahu added, in an apparent reference to a partial settlement freeze that Abbas has termed inadequate.
Netanyahu, however, also defended his decision to include two holy sites located in the West Bank to Israel's list of national heritage sites that are to be preserved.
"They are part of our heritage," Netanyahu said at the Knesset. "How can we not include these sites?"
Netanyahu added, "We are not here by chance. We are here because we have a fundamental, deep connection to the land that has continued for almost 4,000 years. We have to enable the younger generation to connect with our heritage in new ways. We have created a plan and a budget, and this is something that must cross party lines."
The United States has proposed indirect negotiations, with American officials mediating, to end the impasse between Israelis and Palestinians over the conditions for resuming negotiations Israeli-Palestinian peace talks broke down more than a year ago, when Israel launched a bruising offensive against the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers.
The gathering of 14 Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo agreed.
Despite the lack of conviction in the seriousness of the Israeli side, the committee sees that it would give the indirect talks the chance as a last attempt and to facilitate the U.S. role, said Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, reading from a statement.
Moussa said Arab foreign ministers backed the talks on the condition that they last four months. This should not be an open-ended process, he said.
The ministers also said the indirect negotiations, which would see U.S. officials shuttling back and forth between the sides, should not turn into direct Israeli-Palestinian talks without a total freeze in settlement construction.
Netanyahu instituted a 10-month halt on new construction in the West Bank in November, but the measure does not include building that was already started or construction in east Jerusalem, the sector of the city Palestinians claim as the capital of a future state.
Moussa stressed that even indirect negotiations are doomed to failure if Israeli measures such as settlement construction continue. He warned that if indirect talks fail to yield results, the Arabs will call for an emergency Security Council meeting to address the Arab-Israeli conflict and would ask Washington not to use its veto.
Abbas has been under strong pressure from U.S.-allied Arab states such as Egypt and Jordan to accept the American proposal for indirect talks, but the Palestinian president has told Arab leaders he will not take this step alone.
He has been eager to secure U.S. guarantees that Israel will be committed to the outcome of the talks before agreeing to negotiations, but said Tuesday he would adhere to the Arab foreign ministers' decision.
Wednesday's statement did not receive the unanimous support of the 14 Arab nations that took part in the meeting.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem interrupted Moussa while he was reading the statement, insisting that the decision on whether to join indirect talks or not was up to the Palestinians. "The Palestinians are better positioned to know what to do," he said.
The Islamic militant group Hamas, which wrested power from Abbas' Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip in 2007, rejected Wednesday's decision, calling it inappropriate in light of rising tensions over religious sites in Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Hebron.
Gaza's Hamas ruler, Ismail Haniyeh, said the Hamas government would not give any ... permission to return to negotiations, whether it is direct or indirect, considering what is happening in ... Jerusalem and Hebron.
Last week, Israel placed two West Bank shrines, including one in Hebron, on a list of national heritage sites, enraging Palestinians, who claim the West Bank for a future state and see the move as an attempt by Israel to cement its presence there.
Vice President Joe Biden is expected in the region next week to push the peace efforts.
Meanwhile, the Mideast quartet - Russia, the United Nations, the European Union and the United States - is slated to meet in Moscow on March 19 to discuss new peace efforts in the region.
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It would be good if the quartet made clear what exactly they have in mind and what the result of the peace process is supposed to be. I recommend everybody to read the Wikipedia overview of " the two state solution"
Abbas may just have the right strategy - Force Netanyahu to reject a reasonable peace opportunity or risk loss of his entire current coalition. Strange as it may seem, Likud is the most rational part of the current reigning coalition. They compete with Ahmadinijad for rationality points.
Why are there so many copies of Sun Tzu's book on the shelves and so few that have a clue about what he advocated? The guy is in print after 2,500 years for sound reason, yet few seem to comprehend what he was talking about. "All warfare is based upon deception." - Sun Tzu "There is no instance of a country having been benefited from prolonged warfare." - Sun Tzu Yet Israel, once a nation who's desperate and clever leaders once mastered the art of war as Sun Tzu knew it, has become a nation dedicated to everything he eschewed.
"God revealed to the prophet Zechariah that the land of Israel would be the center of world conflict & a scene of turmoil before the return of the Messiah." - Under his Shadow I know what some religious lunatics wrote far less than 4,000 years ago. Why should ANY sane person accept the ravings of lunatics then, now? Mental illness is not a sound basis for policy.
"4 months should give Iran enough time to finish their WMD." - Avi Iran has the chemical weapons to attack ISrael and the means to deliver them already. Screw 4 months, they can do it now, or last year. "Why else would the Arab League come out of the wood work (after all these years) and take a stance that appears to be positive?" - Avi Because most of the nations in the region are not insane. Almost everyone wants peace and tranquility instead of endless turmoil and insecurity. Ironically there are two right-wing extremist governments which see no benefit in peace. Israel and Iran.
Clearly the Obama administration and Mitchell don't understand the meaning of the word NO. How can we explain this failure? Drugs? Brain damage? It must be brain damage. Everyone else in the world understands that so long as the right rules in Israel there will be no peace, no Palestine, and no room in the Judea and Samari for Arab sub-humans.
Hamas Leaders have been consistently against peaceeful coexistence with their neighbors in the region. They have derailed every peace plan. Their leaders have run rampant over the rights of peace loving Palestinians whose main goal is to live peaceably with their neighbors in the region. Haniyeh is already complaining about the National Heritage Monument to the Patriarchs in Hebron which Must be shared. For sixty years, both sides have been arguing and killing. Up untill now,Both sides are responsible for what has taken place in the region. If, and that's a BIG IF there is any progress within the next four months, then Hamas and company: Iran, Hezbollah, and Syria will put the Kabbash on it. With Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran so ingrained in a Culture of Death Mentality- "Peace" appears to be a nonexistent possibility.
Sanctions are the only thing that will get the atention of racist, greedy Israeli Jews. We all know that. Let's stop playing this game that Israel will one day do the right thing. They will not, unless their pocket books feel the strain. Word.
...not war, you idiot. You want to have war to kill everyone, so you can live lasting peace. This is just bizarre thinking and simply stupid. But be my guest, believe what you want to believe.
Why doesn't Obama give some land in Texas or Saudi Arabia to the poor helpless Palestians, Israel already gave 80% of our land to the last lot of bloody Arabs camping on our homeland in 1948, they call it Jordon. The land we have left is less than the state of maine. The Jews have deeds of ownership going back 3,000 years, the Arabs have only existed in our land as moslems for 1200 years. Do the maths if you can't read the original Hebrew of the Bible. If you can't do either, see the nearest Palestinian for a suicide jacket, in your size and colour.
How can you discuss anything with your rapper while he is raping you, it is happening as we speak. Politicians can say whatever they want; nothing will change until they end the OCCUPATION first. My advice to Mr. Mitchell, prepare yourself for endless rounds of talk = waste of time. This is not Ireland you dealing with, but good luck working with the Israeli, you will get nowhere. On the other hand the Arab LEADERS are a JOKE. The sad thing they know they are a joke. Long live the Palestinian people in Jerusalem, Hebron, and the rest of holy land.
"Arabs cave to biased American demands". That should be the headline. Israel will continue building settlements and ethnically cleansing E. Jerusalem of the Arabs while pretending to "talk" peace. All thanks to the Arab states who have caved once again to their master the Americans who we all know have a 100% pro-Israel bias. The Arab states are pathetic.
Israelis are more interested in illegally stealing land and expelling Arabs than they are in peace. Israel is a country governed by extremist Jewish settlers and their allies. The 10-month settlement "freeze" is a joke and has not been enforced whatsoever. I can predict from now that these talks will lead nowhere, it is all just for show.
I hope that you will get it this time, ISRAEL DOES NOT PEACE ALL IT WANTS IS PALESTINAIN LAND. sTOP WAISTING YOUR TIME. The best outcome is to work for a one state for two people. Use aparthied as a weapon. No violence as it is used by israel to grab more land. Win the heart and soul of the world again peacefully. Dont align yourself with Syria, Iran. Lobby the American population by sending P.M. Fayyad as people here identify with him.We are ready for a peaceful outcome. Europe loves to help, the only problem is the congress for obvious reasons.Hire a U.S. public realations co. to assist you. We Americans are tired of WARS and VIOLENCE.
What is wrong with these Arab ministers? What is wrong with the State Department that has pressured them into this position. The State Department is staffed by the likes of Dennis Ross (and Ross himself). No wonder nothing will happen that is good for Palestinians. Old ideas in old bottles!!!!!!
He really is a very nice person,respected on all sides.However the content of his past visits on peace suggestions alway's appeared to me to be very feather-like,with a complete lack of punch or reality.
What if i said that god told me #36 is talking out of his arse. He said he predicted that on this very day and exact time stamp of your comment that #36 is going to say this. Do you believe me ? I'll right it down, for it is written, okay ?
I am not trying to be pessimist, but if it didn't work once directly, what makes you think it will work indirectly.
How soon they forget or they just play the world for a fool? The Palestinians know that they could not sign a peace deal without the approval of the Arab States and in particular Syria and Israel never shows any sign that it really wants peace. This indirect negotiation is an alarm for war.
You both know your real fear is that Abbas will make an offer and Netanyahu will be placed in a position of either rejecting peace or having his coalition collapse. If Iran were working on weapons, it would have had them 8-10 years ago when Israeli politicians started warning that the Persian bomb was only a year away. Fear mongering wins elections in Israel.
Hillary should not be tied down to crusading Islamist-Jihadism on Israel. She does not know that the Islamist-Jihadists are masters of Taqiyya (deception/deceit) to fool and manipulate the West with their crap. It is time they stop wasting time, money and effort dealing with the wolves and tigers of the Middle East. If they want to make peace and have a genuine desire to make peace, they will beg Israel for peace not on their terms but based on Israel's terms. It is none of the business of America, the EU or other countries to be meddling on this matter which the dark forces have been crusading since the 7th century.
all jews ever talk about is holocaust this and holocaust that. its so despicable to be around them. I dont like that accent they all have, and the way they always use ugly words like meshuguna, and schmutz, etc. etc. They have so many rules. Now that passover is coming up, there food just cant have a k on it, but also a p. Like it makes a difference that some dirty old rabbi touched the food. Like its gonna make them get magic powers or something. Also how come old jews have so much wrinkles. They are so wrinkly and gross to look at. And whats with those kids who shave there heads and have curly side burns. EWWW thats so ugly to look at. And all they ever talk about is the holocaust. Get over it! all they want is everyones sypmathy. And there women get old, and they have no grace. They act like they are still 15 years old. They think they are so cool cuz they have facebook, and they have twitter. Its really pathetic. They have no gracefullness at all. ughhhh jews :-/
God revealed to the prophet Zechariah that the land of Israel would be the center of world conflict & a scene of turmoil before the return of the Messiah. According to the bible, peace will never come as a consequence of negotiation, but only as a consequence of war. Iran's continued threats to annihilate Israel go on, while their neighbors speak of peace. Prophetic scripture: Psalm 83 & Ezekiel 38-39 speaks of a great war (unlike any other)that will take place in the end times. We are rapidly approaching the start of this war. The Book of Revelation speaks of this time but promises that the Messiah will return. Only then will there be lasting peace in the Middle East.
In the extremely unlikely event these talks finally result in a peace treaty, some Israelis would scream and balk, but ultimately the Israeli state would grudgingly have to implement the agreed terms. On the other hand, the PA would likely be unable to have Palestinians agree or implement concessions made to Israel. The peace treaty would not only be stillborn, but likely result in yet another war.
This is like a couple in conflict going to a marriage counsellor who's best friends with the wife. There's no way the counsellor can be objective and helfpul, and there's no way the US can be objective and helfpul in mediating between Israel and Pals. It's impossible. The US should have the decency and honesty to adnit tha, and the EU and Russia should have the courage to insist on it.
Why have peace talks at all? Israel has little to gain and much to lose from any peace agreement. Do you think that Israel will happily embrace peace? Not in this lifetime. Not without immense American pressure, which is not forthcoming. With this in mind, what is the point of peace talks? Peace talks are not the same thing as peace progress. Actually, there is no connection whatever.
"Negotiation while Israel continues settlements in the WB and east Jerusalem is a waste of time. It is time for the west to start talking about sanctions against Israel for ignoring the well of the international community." Not going to happen. Not while the US Ambassador to the UN might as well be drawing checks from two governments. We have never been objective, and I think the EU would be much better suited for this role than we are. "Either the rest of humanity is mad or Netanyahu is.... I suppose it could have been worse. He could have promised to sign a peace deal while controlling the whole West Bank." Netanyahoo is actually pretty smart. He knows that we're not going to do anything about it. We never truly take a tough stance with Israel. When we actually do say no, we never back it up. Ever. Netanyahoo knows this, and is daring the world to do something about it.
I see this as a sign of war not a sign of peace. They use this as an excuse to start a war because talks are NOT fruitful. Wait and see.
#26, you are absolutely right.
Since 2002. When it was adopted by the Arab leauge in Beruit. 1 Consider the Arab Israel conflict ended and enter a peaceful agreement with Israel and provide security. 2 Establish normal relations with Israel in contect ot this comprehensive peace. Also the Arabs [Saudi Arabia] orchestrated Annapolis which Bibi [a favorite on Pat Robertson 700 show] voided.
...If Abbas' corrupt PA returns to negotiations, Netanyahu can negotiate forever while stealing more land and building settlements and setters' roads. This is good news! Let's talk peace for the next 100 years without actually reaching peace. Hopefully, the EU will continue to pay the corrupt PA for the next 200 years. Who said that occupation costs the occupier money as long as Qatar/EU/USA pay for it?
Prime minister Netanyahoo is happy that the Arab league has agreed that the Palestinian should resume indirect talks with Israel .In my opinion the Arabs are very clever People to agree to such talks is to score a political victory over Israel and to show the whole world that Israel is inflexiable and is not prepared to yield to their lgitimate demands they have everything to gain with American sponcered mediation and Israel will come out the loser and condemned by the whole Arab loved western community .So watch out mr Prime Minister !You can't win.
The USA is not an objective mediator. Its foreign policies have been too intertwined with Israel while neglecting the plight of the Palestinians. The USA has been an aggressive protector of Israel while at the same time having blundered into empowering al Qaeda, Saddam and Iran without considering the long-term consequences. The USA often becomes entangled in ideologies and internal political intrigues that makes their policies failures from the beginning. Russia and the EU have a much more objective perspective grounded in the realities of the Middle East. Palestine would benefit from their counsel and support moreso than from the USA.
As in rotten. Theft of land continues, night raids on non-violent protesters continue, and killing people by denying access to medical treatment continues. "But come to the table and talk so we can continue our actions and the negotiations go no where because all we want to do is keep stealing your land."
The arch-Zionists needn't get in a flap, the chances of talks getting anywhere are about zero. Israel has racked up a pile of impossible demands that can never be met. Israel's only legal fig-leaf for being on the West Bank is its army is supposedly waiting for a cessation of hostilities, when it is duty-bound to return to Israel with all its camp followers. Instead, it is sitting there demanding half the country, the Arab capital and the right to evade the legal rights of the Arabs dispossessed in the Nakba. And while it demands 1,001 things from the Pals, it totally ignores its own undertakings and duties under the roadmap etc., like removing the illegal settlements, stopping settlement building, allowing humanitarian supplies into Gaza and the rest. We're still all waiting to hear what Israel actually has to OFFER - so far, it's all about what Israel expects, wants needs and demands. What actually does BIBI have to put on the table? What's his generous big proposition then?
This indirect negotiation is like cooking rocks. It is doom to failure if Syria is against it.
Not a surprise, those Arab officials have nothing but shames to their brotheren and nation. They have nothing to offer but to do their best to please their Masters. In the end, not even Israel benefits. Corrupt and unrepresentative Arab regimes, have no weight and their signatures atre worthless. Israel is smart to know that fact, it needs them in its side as decors and PR.
Every time there is a hope for peace, the israeli government do its utmost to ruin it and they always blame the other side. This is a classic.
When Bibi lies, we wonder who he is trying to fool, us or himself. If he repeats it long enough, he will believe it. Haaretz opinion articles have clearly shown that everyone believes that Bibi has simply set too many conditions for even Israel to accept in a peace agreement. And this is indirect and only 4 months, which means, Bibi will really have to negotiate and we will see that he is simply trying to impede the process long enough to steal enough land that a two state solution makes no sense. Israel is an apartheid state and will continue to be under this regime.
Stupid Arab leaders are giving israel a permit to grab more Palestinian lands. israel will not lose anything by talking!.
I love how several years ago Israel's supporters used to use the phrase "Arafat talks out of both sides of his mouth. One voice in English calling for peace and another voice in Arabic deterring peace." Netanyahu must have taken a page from that book because he now has the audacity to do everything in his power to prevent peace(i.e. nationalizing the holy sites in Hebron; saying that Israel will NEVER give up their presence on the eastern side of the W. Bank; making a racist obstructionist like Lieberman his foriegn minister; continuing to build in the W. Bank and E. Jerusalem; slapping the U.S. in the face with his refusal to meet their calls for compromise; etc. etc.)while at the same time calling for peace talks. This guy is nothing but a 2-faced liar who will say whatever the one listening to him wants to hear. He is clearly NOT a viable partner in peace.
colonize more Palestinian lands and do its Ethnic cleansing.
You are either missing or completly ignoring a very obvious fact. The reason those other Arab states have refused to grant Palestinians citizenship is that doing so would validate Israel's denial of these people's right of return. Giving them citizenship in another country would bolster Israel's false argument that they have no right of return since they are now citizens of another state. The solution is quite simple. END THE OCCUPATION AND GIVE THE PALESTINIANS THEIR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN DENYING THEM FOR DECADES!!! How many people do you think you can go on fooling forever??
The Arab league is not enthused by the growing alliance of Iran, Syria, and Lebanon through proxy Hezbollah. They are diametrically opposite in their look to the future of the Middle East. 4 months from now will be June/July...depending on the actual start date of the 4 month period. Knowing what it is like in the middle east that time of the year...i can tell you it is hot hot. hot. There will be some kind of an agreement or another hot intifada
Either the rest of humanity is mad or Netanyahu is. The Israeli PM within a short time includes Palestinian land in an Israeli heritage site; announces the removal of Palestinians from OCCUPIED East Jerusalem to build Jewish homes; swears NEVER to cede the OCCUPIED Jordan Valley, then proclaims that conditions are ripe for negotiations. I suppose it could have been worse. He could have promised to sign a peace deal while controlling the whole West Bank.
... than Benjamin Netanyahu? "The world understands - and how - that this government wants negotiations and has taken steps, not simple ones, to promote talks."
The palaestinians need the consent of the arab league, while at the same time this arab league does nothing to support them. Of the 20 top donating states to the Pals, none of them are an arab country. the arab states do not give any of the pals citizenship (except jordan). they make the pals live in massive refugee camps instead of allowing their "brothers" who they claim to care about so much, to become citizens or live better lives. the arab states do nothing to help the pals, so i dont see why they have their summitt to tell the pals what to do in the first place, other than the fact THEY are arabs who have a state.
The activities of the Arab League now and eight years ago, when they placed the proposal on the table, are very important to the mid-east debate. Only recently did Palestinians receive some type of support from fellow Arab countries. This is historical in many ways and the Israeli negociators should recognize this value and seige the opportunity.
...the source, who declined to be named, said You cant be more indirect then that!
You get an A plus.
Do you think that Syria opposed this just a little bit because Iran and Assad's new best friend Hamas don't get a vote.
the activities will not work as hot air since 1922 has not worked !
Negotiation while Israel continues settlements in the WB and east Jerusalm is a waste of time. It is time for the west to start talking about sanctions agaisnt Israel for ignoring the well of the international community.
Why else would the Arab League come out of the wood work (after all these years) and take a stance that appears to be positive? It would be even better if the Arab League could make laws that prevented Palestinian Leadership from stealing money that would otherwise go to the Palestinians who really need it.
deals made by third parties are not likely to solve anything.
Arab states will never bargain in good faith with Israel. Never. Not ever. It's pointless to try.
And to top it all off the Pals have to pretend that they are returning to negotiations only at the request of the Arab League. The usual Arab B.S. to save face. Everyone knows it's a Pal climb-down.