Peres: Israel to halt settlements once peace talks begin

There is something wrong with your sources on the Rafah crossing. By agreement with Egypt Israel has complete control of the crossing at the Rafah site. Upon signing of the agreement in 2005 the crossing was open almost every day until 25 June 2006. Since that date the border has been closed 86& of the days on Israeli orders.

Sorry, my mistake. I miss read your post because of the why it is written ! Regards !

Israel stopped Cast Lead 2 hours daily to allow food and medicine into Gaza. No other state did or does this for those attacking her.- Suisse Except pasta, which was declared a weapon. The Palestinians did not attack. They acted in self defense; they were besieged by Israeli aggressors. You can word-smith "siege" all u want and it can`t hide the truth that Egypt forced back thousands of Gaza Arabs into Gaza, whose lives they could have saved or helped. ?Suisse You are being dishonest and live in an alternate reality. Egypt has the right to defend and control its border with Gaza just as America controls its immigration and customs laws with Mexico. Israel does the same on its land borders with Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Egypt is right to not allow Israel to drive thousands of refugees across its borders and become a burden on them. It is Israeli aggression that is the cause of the problem. Your complaint is that Egypt refuses to be forced into being the solution to Israels conflict and accommodate the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population from Gaza. U BET Israel blocks the Gaza coast from receiving weapons shipments! ? Suisse So you admit that Israel, not Egypt is blockading Gaza. Consequently that is why the Palestinians are fighting for their freedom. Hamas was formed later in the Israeli occupation in 1987 precisely because Israel was attempting to annex Gaza with settlements. They have a universal right to resist an occupation and oppression. Where does Israel justify its aggression in international law to hold a population captive? U r wrong that the sea is Gaza`s only access to the outside world.-Suiss You are wrong. The land accesses are only to Israel or Egypt, not the outside world. The Coast is the only access to the outside world that does not have a neighboring country as a border. But they don`t fire rockets at Egypt - which can and should absorb Gaza Arabs just as Israel absorbed the many thousands of Jews kicked out of Egypt. ?Suiss Again, how Israel defines as it immigration laws and who they allow to immigrate does not have any bearing on how Egypt or America should define theirs. Gazans are not Egyptians. Egypt has no obligation to them. Gazans have a homeland---It is called Gaza. Israel even says they no longer claim it as theirs. Egypt does not claim it either, only the Palestinians. Making war on a civilian population with only a small lightly armed militia of freedom fighters defending themselves and struggling for independence is not self defense. Your post is not just idiotic; it is an alternative reality that is devoid of facts.

If this is not RACIALISM at its extreme, God knows what is!!!!!!!!!!!Even in Apartheid South Africa, no laws existed banning Africans, Coloureds, Indian and other non whites to produce as many children as they wished. In the horrible 2000 years of Anti Semitism no body forbade Jews to have as many children as they wanted, or could produce. In China, the limitation applies to ALL, and not to minorities only. Are you not ashamed to even utter such awful thoughts. I am ashamed for you!!!

// "No it wasn`t. Israel was not recognized as a sovereign state by the International Community of States" CJ.// Strange..I've never written anything of the kind. I guess the horse and cart are yours.

CJ, yours 71 needs a surgery. Everything in it is wrong;head to tail! "The Palestinians was never a nation"AZ Your reply, short but not sweet "Irrelevant"CJ. Never say why! Totally different from the Palestinians Constitution : "the Palestinians are part of the Arab Nation"! What one should believe, in this maze of contradictions? "So,neither claimed Palestine for their own"CJ But the Palestinians claimed all the way, it is their land alone & the Jews are "occupiers"!Are you writing on your behalf or on behalf of the Palestinians?! "And that was reject by the Arab countries"AZ Your reply:"On valid legal grounds" What grounds? Legal & otherwise! Better still, the land was part of the Ottomans, transfered on a mandate to the British who left in the middle of the nigh & the land became free for all grabbers! The Palestinians grabbed nothing.They left it to brothers Egypt & Jordan to grab for them & both did that but kept it to themselves! Now the Palestinians wants it from Israel

... Palestinian lands" TS. I for one will solute him if that is true ! All that I know, Peres is the business of selling cheap !

2 thousand years since the Roman expelled jews.Palestinians of today are the children of jews who were converted to Islam and Cristianiy.

If he is true for peace,then he must not allow any settler(colonizer) to enter in the Palestinian territory and grab more land.

... what will make Palestine different ?! Besides, you forget what is written in the Palestinian Constitution Art.1. Palestine is an extension of the Arab Countries (to that effect). One other thing; isn't a fact that todays Gaza is an Islamic State ? What rubbish you are talking about by saying : "That Palestine being the "State for Palestinian Nation" Johnboy like Australia etc.. You sounds like a dreaming bigot Johnboy PS:_ "It is a state for (and of) all its citizens). Johnboy. You are talking to some one who was thrown out of an Arab Country & being denied, like many of him, the chance (shall I say the right) of work in his country of birth !? The world is sick of such countries ! And that is another valid reason that Palestine will never be ...

Pure hot air and lies... If Israel could, do what their leaders say...

You assume that Jews have stopped producing babies. The fact is Jews are having population explosion too and they need to develop their liberated historic homeland of Judea and Samaria to house them. Other measures can be taken to avert your 20 years-from-now scenario such as banning Islamists having multiple wives and restricting the number of children they can have. If China can enact such a policy so can other countries to control unwanted population growth.

Jason, when comparing the Kurds, the Scots etc. to the Palestians, you seem to forget that all of them are full citizens of the countries where they live; the scots are British subjects, the Kurds are Turkish, or Iraqi citizens etc. If Israel wants to annex all occupied territories, and make all the inhabitdants of these territories Israeli citizens, let it do so. We all know the results now and in 20 years. The Status Quo, as it is now can not continue, and the world won't accept this, even if you call the whole world, (like Judge Golstone is referred to) Anti-semites!

AZ: "Aren`t we talking about 'Palestine' ? The 'Nation` of the Palestinians' ? So, what made nationhood not important ?" Palestine will be a state. It will be a state of its citizens. Its citizens will therefore be "Palestinians", and not vice versa. That is completely different to Palestine being the "state for the Palestinian nation", because that requires that there be a "Palestinian nation", and in a secular state that is neither required nor desired. You don't understand that simple point because, basically, you are a bigoted idiot. Australia is a state. It is a state for (and of) all its citizens. It's citizens are "Australians", and we are "Australians" because we have all decided that we are "Australians". There is no "Australian nation", Akram, as even the most casual glance at the changing demographics of Australia from 1945-present would make very clear. Not everyone wants to live in an theocratic or a racist state, unlike you.

... the broken cart & horse of lies staying put in the old station ! "No it wasn't. Israel was not recognized as a sovereign state by the International Community of States" CJ. So, Israel in the United Nations, is there just to make the Tea. And the Palestinians are fighting for a recognition that they already have ! Take care CJ & look after yourself .

the 2005 agreement. "Israel stopped Cast Lead 2 hours daily to allow food and medicine into Gaza..." 'daily'??? ". No other state did or does this for those attacking her" What other state has illegally acquired their neighbour's territory over 61 years? "U r wrong that the sea is Gaza`s only access to the outside world." Indeed. Very wrong. Not even by sea..... Israel can and has completely closed Gaza off. "Of course such a move, absorbing brother Arabs into giant Egypt.." Ah yes, get rid of those pesky Palestinians once and for all. " would make Egypt and its supporters appear human - God forbid!" Do you read what you write?

jews can close settle in the territory of the mandate !!!!! the palestine mandate includes jordan !

try again john only this time get it right ! before the roman greeks assyrians egyptians babylonians and canaan !!

What is this "Land of Israel"? There has never existed any such thing! During Roman times there existed briefly a place called "Judea". And the people who have been living there since the disappearance of that place under The Roman Legions Have no right to live there? How come nobody agrees with you? You should stop eating peyote for breakfast.

"The right to build in the entirety of the Land of Israel and international law. That Jews have the right to build and live in all areas of their historic homeland It is a pillar of the state, grounded in international law. " There's no mention of a separate Jewish state in the Balfour Declaration or the Mandate or the British White papers. It was to be a home land in Palestine as Palestinian citizens. http://tinyurl.com/y8ewves/sovereignty-state-non-state-entity/#jews-can-live-anywhere

Did you hear Netanyahu? Netayahu has said very clearly that: -The problem will not be solved in Israel; - There are no concessions on: Settlements will continue, houses demolishing will continue, no right of return, no compensation, Palestine is Jordan, The Palestinian state will not exist, Israel is a jewish country. etc. What is there to negotiate? Mass transportation to Amman?

Israel stopped Cast Lead 2 hours daily to allow food and medicine into Gaza. No other state did or does this for those attacking her. You can word-smith "siege" all u want and it can't hide the truth that Egypt forced back thousands of Gaza Arabs into Gaza, whose lives they could have saved or helped. U BET Israel blocks the Gaza coast from receiving weapons shipments! Do u expect Israel to be suicidal? Would that make u happy? U r wrong that the sea is Gaza's only access to the outside world. Gaza Arabs blew their access to the Israeli side. But they don't fire rockets at Egypt - which can and should absorb Gaza Arabs just as Israel absorbed the many thousands of Jews kicked out of Egypt. Of course such a move, absorbing brother Arabs into giant Egypt, would make Egypt and its supporters appear human - God forbid!

...when non-peace gets too vociferous, Bibi prepares to-take-another fake bunny out of the hat... ...and noch sends our Pres to announce it in Eqypt... as if it will sound better coming from there...

The right to build in the entirety of the Land of Israel and international law. That Jews have the right to build and live in all areas of their historic homeland It is a pillar of the state, grounded in international law. When government officials don?t apply the law equitably, the authority of the state is undermined. That Israel permits such bias, sanctioned by the Supreme Court, is a national disgrace. As to rights and legitimacy : http://xrl.us/be5v4a

Why don't the Palestinians believe what Peres says is Netanyahu's position on settlements? Why don't they take Netanyahu's word on good faith? I note that Peres says that Israel will stop seizing land after negotiations start. But once they are scheduled to start, but before they do, how much will be seized?

Are Israelis so far removed from reality that it is really what they believe? Settlements are everything! You guys are playing little kid's logic: "start the peace talks then we freeze". Pals say "Freeze start the peace talks" Pathetic!!!

...that would be precisely why Israel is quaking in its very boots.

What about the "Palestinian Constitution" Art No.1 "Palestine is part of the Arab States". Isn't that about statehood ? "The Palestinians National Covenant", "The Palestinian Liberation Organization" ... the flag of Palestine etc...etc.. All these and many of them are nothing but a lies ? And isn't what this conflict is all about 'lies' & blaming Israel ?! Talking about the 'U.N resolutions' you mentioned yourself on your post etc are all that lies. Road Maps etc.. are lies. Oslo etc.. are lies. 2-srtate solution are lies. Lies are all over the place what made the palestinians un-viable for a state. And that is the problem from A-Z. Discussions without faith the thing that killed palestine & blaming Israel. The truth !

"What is overlooked are the important truth that was turned into a blatant lie." Like this one? http://tinyurl.com/yzw84hs "What the UN decided in 1947 was made null & void by the Arab & the palestinians by words & action." No it wasn't. Israel WAS recognized as a Sovereign state by the International Community of States, over riding the Arab States objections. Res 181 is STILL ENSHRINED in the Declaration of a Jewish State. "The Palestinians created their own situation.." They illegally acquired 50% of what was allocated to them by 1949 and gave it to Israel? WOW!! Bulldozed their own villages and homes? WOW!! Dispossessed themselves and refused tpo recognize their own RoR? WOW!

"Not all states have to be based a "nationhood" Johnboy Aren't we talking about 'Palestine" ? The 'Nation' of the Palestinians ? So, what made nationhood not important ? "The palestinians are an ethnicity i.e they regard themselves as palestinians" Johnboy Isn't the question that no Palestinians ever been remembered in History as the rulers of this land?! "You to claim that on the basis of your own prejudiced decision" Johnboy Are we talking about me or about the palestinians & wether are related in history as the rulers historically of this land. Where the prejudice in all that ? "Stateless people who are living on land without a "sovereign" Johnboy But weren't the "sovereign" was given to them by the U.N. no less,in 1947 & they reject it ? And what has happen to their "sovereign" when this land was occupied by Jordan the W.B & Egypt Gaza & no mention made about the palestinian "sovereign" ?! " not even yours (the land)" Johnboy, The rubbish nonsense started ?! Now help me G-d

It's only an Armistice line. Armistice lines are not borders unless they were borders before the armistice. "in 1947, the UN precisely defined what Israel ISN`T, namely territory east of the Green Line" The green line didn't exist in 1947. "It still defines the eastern border of Israel." No. UNGA res 181 defines Israel. None of the other territory Israel claims has never been legally annexed to Israel. Not one inch. http://tinyurl.com/yzw84hs

"the palestinians was never a nation" Irrelevant. "..never organized themselves under a government according to an idea of nationhood." So? Did the Jewish Palestinians before Zionism? ".. never asked the egyptians & the jordanians to evict `their` land or not even called them `occupiers`" So? Neither claimed Palestine for their own, built illegal settlements, separation barriers.... "..offered a nationhood was in 1947 & by the security council" UNGA actually " & that was rejected by the arab countries " On valid legal grounds. ".. never show the slightest objection." They couldn't declare Sovereignty. By May 14th '48,under Plan Dalet, the Jewish agency was controlling territory slated for the new Arab state. An entity must control all it's territories to declare Sovereignty. "..claim for a nationhood was only when Israel declared itself as a state in accordance with the un division of this land " Israel has since, illegally acquired territory by war, illegally annexed

... the fact was rejected by both the Arab & the palestinians ! And many wars with many lives lost & covered with blood & buried in tears. To bring all that back to life,after more than sixty years,is the language of those who are lunatics ! "They overlook the fact that in 1947 the UN precisely defined what Israel ISN'T" Jim What is overlooked are the important truth that was turned into a blatant lie. The question now;how many lies Israel have to swallow so the palestinians will have a state to finish Israel ? What you said Jim is not history ! It has no relevance to the whole truth ! What the UN decided in 1947 was made null & void by the Arab & the palestinians by words & action. The Palestinians created their own situation & no one was responsible except themselves & their Arab brothers.What the UN invisaged was rejected by both. If the Palestinians changed their minds,this can't be a binding claim on Israel.It also can't be a reason for blackmail only by terrorists.

and he's got to have some way of making it appear he's got the upper hand, so he dreamed up a precondition for it. he's probably also got his fingers crossed that the palestinians don't bite.

The man is a snake he says one thing and does another. the man appologized to Erdogen of Turkey when the ADL was forced to recognize the Armenian genocide wich Israel denies. If your looking for spin watch fox news

What do you think about the Buenos Aires current Jewish Major, Mauricio Macri, spying the political opposition using his recent founded police force, and threatening his brother in law: "I've got a Chinese gang for you" for personal reasons ?

Love how he blames Israel for "the siege" Excuse me, Hosni, but I believe that Egypt also has a border with Gaza.-Lee Excuse me Lee, but Israel has a border with Gaza just as Egypt does. They both control their respective borders with Gaza as other countries control their borders in accordance with their laws. For example Egypt and Lebanon, or China and India. However only Israel, NOT Egypt lays employs a siege of Gaza by blockading the Gaza maritime coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. Its only access to the outside world. France controlling its border with Germany is not a siege as Egypt and Israel maintaining their borders does not amount to a siege, it is what Israel is doing that is a siege.

"Comprimise is an agreement that no one is happy with." So you don;t like compromise? Well, the world doesn't like resurrecting a dead government either. Especially when it has lain in the grave for 2000 years! Why we might as well resurrect the Inca, or Mayan, or Aztec domains in Central/South America. But I have a better idea! Let's resurrect the Canaanite culture in Palestine. And with Muslim help, they might even drive Israel into the sea. As for Gaza, there is always the Philistines to be resurrected. And as for Turkey, there are the Hittites. Are these more to your liking? Ok. So much nonsense, isn't it. No more nonsensical than resurrecting 2000 year old Israel! You and your courageous decisions! Bah! Humbug!

Everyone these days are so pre-occupied with defining what Palestine IS that they overlook the fact that in 1947, the UN precisely defined what Israel ISN'T, namely territory east of the Green Line. So the Green Line has been adjusted since then by wars. But It still defines the eastern border of Israel. What lies east of the Green Line is NOT Israel, and neither the IDF, nor settlers, nor Shin Bet, nor any other Israeli functionary has any business there. Palestine is a defined territory which is OCCUPIED - not owned - by the belligerent forces of Israel. The sooner Israel begins to behave like a peaceful nation, the sooner the world will begin to credit Netanyahu's amazing rhetoric.

Cause the settlements freeze begun the monment Obama and Bibi made such freeze-deal that is suposed to last bewteen 6 to 9 months and not when arabs (so called pals ) may be willing to resume talks-extortions with threats . But if Bibi authorised Peres to say so to Mubarak : the settlements halt once peace talks begin, It means that Bibi is under Obama pressure (and that Ms Clinton is correct when she says that Israel is making unprecedent concessions) Or that Peres ans/or Dhimmedias are misguiding because of Peres's known utopia and Dhimmedias far left intertests that are against Israel territorial and Jewish State Sovereignty .

I am sick of the wordsmithing of Israel to get what it wants. To "show" to the world it is genuine about peace. But offering empty statements that mean NOTHING when you read them carefully!!! State of Israel, you are no better than the snake in Genesis.

Abandoning Gaza --to make it an open air prison was not exactly a courageous decision. Allowing a Jewish state to be built in the heart of an arab area was courageous--and see where that got us! Israel never went of its way to make peace with neighbors who were forced to give up their land to help found the State of Israel. I don't recall ever hearing a thank you either!

"Israeli`s and Palestinians Argue like Petulant Spoiled Brats" All politicians these day argue like pertulant spoiled brats! Particularly in Israel! Elsewhere, some have the advantage of sounding somewhat sophisticated. But as for the "Russian Jewish Mob boss", a few years in a Siberian gulag would probably do him some good. Give him a chance to cool off. Teach him a practical trade, like sewing.

"Courageous Decisions". Yes indeed it is time for some to make "courageous decisions" for example, Palestinians finally recognizing that the state of Israel exists. To acknowledge that two Temples had stood a top the The Holy Mount much before any Sultan or Sheik thought of putting a Mosque there. That Jerusalem was a Jewish Capital before Islam existed. Now returning Gaza to the Palestinians was a "courageous decision" and see what sort of peace that brought to the land. It is time that Arab Leader realize that they must make those "courageous decisions" and pressure their "Pawns" to make moves that can be called "courageous decisions". Comprimise is an agreement that no one is happy with.

AZ: "The palestinians never organized themselves under a government according to an idea of nationhood." Not all states have to be based upon a "nationhood", Akram. The Palestinians are an ethnicity i.e. they regard themselves as "Palestinians" because they regard themselves as "Palestinians". They do not need anyone else's permission to do that, and it is the height of arrogant presumption for you to decide that YOU get to judge their decision, and it it the height of self-interested nonsense for you to then claim that on the basis of your own prejudiced decision that these people can not have a state to call their own. They bloody-well-can, because they are a) a stateless people who are b) living on a land without a sovereign and BECAUSE of that combination (not IN SPITE OF IT) then the fate of both themselves and this land is in *their* hands, and no-one else's. Not. Even. Yours.

... or is Peres reliving his childhood ?! The latest in Peres's news: "Israel to halt setlements once peace talks begin" What Peres is doing no other head of state has done the same thing before. And the way he is doing it, will not bring him any credit or made him a man of peace. Peres must be stopped from interfering with the affairs of the State. He can't duplicate the PM. There is no position like that in any state. What Peres is doing one can find only in comedies !

Hi Nats! No one who deploys military might is seeking peace! That goes for borh Obama and Netanyahu. But Netanyahu pretends he wants "peace in our time" and is confident the world will let him grab a little more of Palestine each day. For as long as people confuse Zionism with Judaism, he will profit from their naive ignorance.

ARABS INCLUDING PALISTINIANS HAVE BEEN KILLING EACH OTHER OFF SINCE TIME IMMORIAL WITH NO WORLD CRY. THEY ATTACKED FROM ALL SIDES IN "48" AND HAVE NOT STOPPED SINCE. ISRAEL A SPEC OF SAND IN A HUGE DESERT COULD BE A BEACON OF CIVALIZATION FOR ALL SEMETICS TO WORK TOGETHER, AND AS A GROUP BECOME A BEACON FOR THE WORLD IN ART, MEDICINE, SCIENCE, AND MAJOR ECONOMICS. TOGETHER THEY COULD IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ALL AND THRIVE TOGETHER. THEY BOTH MUST STOP THE HATE.

Since when did Peres assume the PM post? This is a matter for the government to be dealing with and not a ceremonial leader.

"Can any of you find something positive and for one minute stop you drone-like Israel bashing?" So Who's bashing Israel? It's Perez, Mubarak, and Lieberman we're after. Especially Lieberman. He always leaves himself so wide open! LOOL!

Peres can't quite accept the idea but in Israel the job of president is a ceremonial one. The president is not supposed to be a politician its the PM & cabinet that make policy not Peres. Peres is probably the most politically active president Israel has ever has and he wants to act like the PM even though thats not his job. When he either retires from politics or joins his oslo partners Rabin & Arafat Israel will be a safer place, because he will stop opening his mouth at times when his comments are not appreciated. Bibi will decide settlement policy not Peres, Mubarak or anybody else.

"Eventually, I started to think about the honesty of his words." Did you grasp his reverse logic?

Peres: "The minute we shall start to negotiate there won't be new settlements, there won't be confiscation of land," That is not a settlement freeze. Israel has **already** staked out the areas it wants to claim via settlement, and Israel has **already** confiscated more than enough land for construction to continue INSIDE those already-staked-out settlements during the negotiations. There will be no freeze on construction in the settlements, and the only difference will be that Peres, Netanyahu and Barak will all shout that there is a freeze, even though there isn't a freeze. How. Typically. Zionist.

Hey ! What's going on here ? Peres is acting as a super Prime Minister. We saw Dayan,when he acted as a super Minister of Defense & thwarted the better judgement of his military staff,what disaster he brought upon Israel.

"Peres: Israel to halt settlements once peace talks begin " Nice carrot! But must be read in reverse: Peace talks will not begin until settlement expansion is complete.

Settlement growth or expansion or building or just adding-on-a-bit, or for that matter starting or stopping has become a complete travesty... The new ruse about not even listening to anybody until compliant talks begin, bordered on an insult to Mubarak... It's not dignified for our President to act as a lackey for Bibi...

Hogwash? Israeli security forces monitors activity at the crossing via closed circuit camera and data systems that provides it with real-time information on the persons entering and exiting the crossing. Israel exert substantial and indirect control over the Rafah crossing, and uses that control as a means to collective punishment. Who has made sure Rafah has been mostly closed after Hamas took Gilead Shalit as POW? Check your facts, Phineas.

"Palestinians claim as their capital, was an issue of concern for the entire Islamic world." Does the Christian world no longer care about Jerusalem and who owns it? Or is it that Islam is still a young religion and is still in its radical phase?

Where Jews live in Eretz Israel is a matter that we will discuss with Palestinians. You get no say in the matter. Since you need something to tripe about, why not prick yourselves with needles every time you decide to agonize over the "injustice" in Israel?

so you will have to deal with then---or let them out "demograph" you. The "D bomb"---bang---no more Israel. What you gonna do then Acharam z???.

...and showing them how to take the road of peace. My respects, Mr. President!

A little bit on the naïve side, Suisse? And a victim of zionist and western propaganda? By international law Gaza forms part of the occupied Palestinian territories. And those occupied have all the right in the world to fight the occupier. You can both be occupied and send rockets. And please tell us more about "the billions of islamists" and their oil lobbies?

Oy Nutallie - spare us the anti-climatic hype: "A nation which is so dedicated to expanding settlements outside their national borders..." It is very obvious that Durson has not been to the west bank in years. If so, she'd note that most of the settlements haven't had a new building permit in years: Gush Etzion, Elon Moreh block to name two big examples. And Israel has no settlements in Jordon or Egypt or Syria, so we really don't have anything outside our borders, as she claims. And sorry, Durson, but any historian will tell you that Israel 2000 years ago did indeed encompass all of the west bank. The Jewish refugees have returned to their homeland. Yes, Jews came from Israel, not Russia as you like to claim.

Oy Nutallie - spare us the anti-climatic hype: "A nation which is so dedicated to expanding settlements outside their national borders..." It is very obvious that Durson has not been to the west bank in years. If so, she'd note that most of the settlements haven't had a new building permit in years: Gush Etzion, Elon Moreh block to name two big examples. And Israel has no settlements in Jordon or Egypt or Syria, so we really don't have anything outside our borders, as she claims. And sorry, Durson, but any historian will tell you that Israel 2000 years ago did indeed encompass all of the west bank. The Jewish refugees have returned to their homeland. Yes, Jews came from Israel, not Russia as you like to claim.

What is out of proportion really is Peres cynical and shameless speech. When there are peace talks, the israelian government does'nt want them, and there are land confiscation and settlements building. Now the government wants peace talks (why, what for ?), and promise that settlements and land confiscation will stop at once. How does Peres dares to despise the other people's intelligence like that. He might think he is talking to monkeys.

What do you do personally to further Aboriginal rights to reclaim their land stolen from them?

" a community organized under one government according to an idea of nationhood". The palestinians never organized themselves under a government according to an idea of nationhood. That what made the palestinians never asked the egyptians & the jordanians to evict 'their' land or not even called them 'occupiers' ! The first time the palestinians been offered a nationhood was in 1947 & by the security council & that was rejected by the arab countries & the palestinians never show the slightest objection. The palestinians claim for a nationhood was only when Israel declared itself as a state in accordance with the un division of this land between palestinians & jews over sixty years ago. One must also remember that if it wasn't the fact that both egypt & jordan both lost the war in 1967 no claim for a palestinians nationhood will ever be remembered in history. The palestinians claim for nationhood has a lot of no truth in it.

Does Israel control the smuggling tunnels? No. It only can control them if it collapses them. Does Israel control Egyptian troops who forced back the thousands of Arabs into Gaza who breached Egypt's Gaza border? No. That was an Egyptian decision. Does Israel regulate the amount of rockets Hamas fires from Gaza into Israel? No. Therefore, Israel certainly does NOT occupy Gaza. Israel COULD carpet-bomb Gaza and end the Gaza attacks permanently in one afternoon with 2 million dead instead of a thousand, if Israel chose to respond to even one rocket - an act of war - as most nations would respond. Do billions of Islamists and their oil lobbies have more influence than a very few million Jews in the world? Apparently, the answer is a resounding YES, determined by sheer odds, of which you seem to be but another common victim. Have a look at a map of the Middle East and try thinking for yourself.

It is so amazing to read the tit-for-tat refusal to start peace talks due to preconditions on the settlements. Israel gives and inch, and the Palestinians take a mile and vice versa. Come on folks. It is time to resolve issues before there is a third Infitada. The problems will not go away of and by themselves particularly when there is no compromising. Worse yet are Lieberman's pronouncements on eliminating Turkey as a third party mediator in discussions with Syria. It is time to send the Russian Jewish Mob boss into retirement. He is a disgrace to Jews everywhere.

What a crock!!! Another Israeli dance to distract and make them look like they want peace. Why not stop settlements NOW in order to get the talks STARTED??????

Peres has no business trying to satisfy Mubarak's demands about peace between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs.If Egypt and its miserable Arab allies hadn't illegally invaded the Palestine Mandate in 1948 to frustrate the will of the UN,the troubles of the last more than 60 years may never have occurred. Peres should better be reminding Mubarak that there is an Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty and it's about time that he read it and ensured that Egypt keeps to what was agreed,at last. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

"No nation would accede to Pal demands" Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, to name a few, were all acceded to "Plenty of nations live without a state, and do so in relative peace with their more dominant host." Name one. Perhaps you mean some countries have not declared Statehood. Israel is not a host, Israel is CLAIMING Palestinian territory. "To demand Israel fork over land " It's not Israeli.

Under several agreements in 2005 and thereafter, Israel has absolutely no control over Rafah. They don't even have an observation post.

Just Can't Trust Bibi. First, He'll continue the construction of the existing settlements which are a problem. Second, when those projects are coming to an end he'll break off peace negotiations to allow more new settlements. One would have to be foolish to believe that settlements will ever stop under Bibi.

we will know Arabs want peace when the Palestinians and the rest of the Arabs have a peace plan that doesn't change Israel's demography rather than worrying about and trying to change Israel's Jewish nature. Until then interim peace is based on Israel giving the Arabs a military wack every few years when Arab terrorism starts up. The idea of talks is to hopefully replace the necessity of a military wack with talks. The reality is that talks are just an interim period while the Arabs build up for the next military round.

No nation would accede to Pal demands. Every concession would lead to more pain and suffering for both parties down the road. Leave everything as it is. Sometimes no change is the right course. Plenty of nations live without a state, and do so in relative peace with their more dominant host. The Pals deserve no better than them. They have no intrinsic values that make them any more deserving than say the Kurds, the Basque, or the Scots. To demand Israel fork over land and take huge risks (post Gaza and Lebanon pullouts) while not pressuring Turkey, Spain, France, and England to concede is double standard and hence anti-semitism.

Is not binding, Netanyahu is in charge and does not want peace, he wants to grab Palestinian lad piece by piece. However he is in agreement with Peres that he should the good guy and keep confusing the issues. The bottom line is Israel does not want peace and the Palestinians should find another way to get their land back.

Wrong, wrong, wrong Suisse. The Rafah crossing is controlled by Israel. ("The Agreed Principles for the Rafah Crossing" betw. Egypt and Israel, 2005). Operated by Palestinians on one side, by Egyptians on the other - and all overseen by Israel. The control room is in Israel proper, receiving live video from the terminal, including from the X-ray machines. When Israel wants the crossing closed, they have the power to do so. And they do. So you see, Gaza is still occupied by Israel.

This fellow is the greatest humbug and imposter of all time.He was responsible for establishing more than one settlement in his time.I am no great fan of Bibi,but at least Bibi does not pretend to be what he is not.Enough with this old scoundrel already.

Gaza and the West Bank are prisons located inside captured Israeli territory. The Palestinians are prisoners of war.

Nobody is willing to meet halfway on either side of this equation, and therein lies their mutual failure.

My country treats the Palestinians as if they are dogs and than our leaders ask why we are hated. Jewish religious extremists are the cause of the problem and this is why there is no peace.

Hi Natallie, I liked your word choice... "tenuous." Any "peace" that might come of abandoning/evacuating the settlements will be tenuous, indeed. The embryonic Palestine has all the trappings of a failed state in the works. It will be a resource-poor, landlocked bantustan to be flooded by 2-3 million tribal folks who have been festering in refugee camps that have kept them isolated, alienated, and dependent on aid for decades. Add to this the rejectionism that has long characterized the PLO and (obviously) Hamas. There will be no peace. And if there is one, it will be fleeting...lacking substance...tenuous. That said, get the hell out of the West Bank and let the conflict evolve into its next phase.

anyone claim legitimate sovereignty over it...ever! Maybe we should revive the Ottoman Empire and give them sovereignty??? But then, they did not claim sovereignty either....but they sure were there a long time, right!?

Peres has no power.

any time it wants to. They already violate the Israeli/Egyptian peace treaty by allowing weapons to flow into Gaza. They can show actual humanity by letting Gaza Arabs flow into Egypt, just as Israel let the Jews in who were kicked from the Arab world. Egypt lets weapons flow into Gaza but keeps Gaza Arabs imprisoned there, locked out of Egypt for years. Disgusting. But shhhh, don't tell this truth to any of the Israel-haters. It completely destroys their agenda.

He built as many settlements as any govt while "negotiating"

can't be trusted. During the Oslo 'peace talks' Israeli settlements doubled.

Is such a promise trustworthy? I mean, isn't a state that confiscates the land of another untrustworthy by definition? And what of East Jerusalem building. Everyone knows east Jerusalem must become the capital of the new Palestinian state so why delay stopping confiscation of land there?

"time for retirement and a study in sanity !" As the great Revolutionary once said, "There ain't no Sanity Claus!" MARX ( Groucho that is)

Israel is seeking the path to do as little as possible while still satisfying Obama. We all know that Israel profits by avoiding peace. Obama is well aware of this. This means that Israel will never willingly seek peace as long as they continue to profit. A nation which is so dedicated to expanding settlements outside their national borders will not easily forgo this for something so tenuous as peace. Until Obama is ready to take harsh measures against Israel nothing will come of peace efforts. Currently, Obama is not really seeking peace. He is merely seeking a fig leaf to cover his embarrasment at being sent packing by Bibi..

Can any of you find something positive and for one minute stop you drone-like Israel bashing? You are are bore get a life or a new hobby y'all.

the bridge has been along time in coming shimeon ? time for retirement and a study in sanity !

Excuse me, Hosni, but I believe that Egypt also has a border with Gaza.

I hope that Mr. Peres is honest. However, I found the logic behind his words vague. "The minute we shall start to negotiate there won't be new settlements, there won't be confiscation of land," This implies that he knows that settlements are barriers to peace talks. So we not to bridge the gaps and just stop now, why wait till the "minute" of launching peace talks. Eventually, I started to think about the honesty of his words.

... there are so many of them. Each has his own meaning to every word he/she speak. Mubarak is just one of them. Peace & Palestine is a good coffee shop talk for Mubarak. Real peace will make him miss his favorite subject. Peres is the Jack of all trade & a master of none ... He can't help himself not to be important ! He tried 'peace' all his life that is why Israel is alway at war !

is not a total freeze in building work within the settlements which is a Palestinian demand before negotiations begin. Typical doublespeak by Peres Interesting that he is in Egypt and not the Foreign Minister of Israel. Just exactly what does Lieberman do?

Why din't he stop settlements when he was PM, FM. WHY NOW. I think he just like to travel and taste all them good menus.

Maybe the Shalit affair is top of the agenda. Maybe differences have to be discussed. Maybe these two seasoned ME leaders need some publicity. Maybe the phone lines are bugged. Maybe a major breakthrough is in the offing. Maybe Pres.Mubarak trusts Pres.Peres. Maybe I am wrong on all points. Maybe it will snow today.

....to the rest of the world...:)