U.S. proposes direct, but low-level, Mideast talks
Idea is to raise confidence-building measures between senior ministers from each side, but not top leaders.
By Reuters Tags: Barack Obama Middle East peace Israel news PalestiniansPresident Mahmoud Abbas is studying a U.S. proposal for talks between the Palestinians and Israel at a level below full-scale negotiations between their leaders, a Palestinian official said on Monday.
The proposal is the latest idea by U.S. Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell to bring about a resumption of peace talks that have been frozen for 13 months.
Palestinian sources familiar with Mitchell's weekend round of diplomacy said he had proposed confidence-building measures that would improve conditions in the Palestinian territories.
Israeli officials, noting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had on Sunday welcomed unspecified "new ideas" for talks from Mitchell, said their government stood ready to take part in U.S.-mediated discussions with Palestinian officials.
The confidence-building steps cited by Palestinians as areas they would be keen to discuss included the transfer of authority from the Israeli army to the Palestinians in more of the West Bank's territory, the removal of some Israeli checkpoints and release of a number of Palestinian prisoners.
These measures would be discussed at a meeting of senior ministers from each side, but not the top leaders.
Israeli political sources said they were not aware of specific secondary issues, such as prisoners, that might be discussed with the Palestinians -- they spoke rather of talks at a ministerial or lower level that would look at narrowing differences over "core issues" in suspended peace negotiations.
Core issues include the future borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem and fate of Palestinian refugees.
A year of U.S. diplomatic efforts has so far failed to relaunch talks aimed at ending the decades-old conflict through a peace treaty agreeing to the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"Holding a low-level meeting with the Israelis that tackles issues related to the daily life of Palestinians will not be an alternative to political negotiations," said the Palestinian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Abbas, who is facing U.S. pressure to return to peace talks, would discuss Mitchell's ideas with Arab leaders over the coming days "so that the Palestinian position will be backed by the Arabs," the official said.
Netanyahu said on Sunday he had heard "some interesting ideas for renewing the [peace] process" from Mitchell.
"I also expressed my hope that these new ideas will allow for the renewal of the process. Certainly if the Palestinians express a similar readiness, then we will find ourselves in a diplomatic process," Netanyahu said.
A spokesman for the prime minister declined comment on Monday on the content of discussions with Mitchell.
The Palestinian official said Abbas would stick by his insistence on a full halt to Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, before any resumption of full peace talks. He has rejected a 10-month, partial Israeli freeze announced in November as insufficient.
U.S. President Barack Obama said in an interview published last week he had underestimated the difficulty of resolving the Middle East conflict and had set his expectations too high in his first year.
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PM Benjamin Netanyahu meeting with U.S. envoy George Mitchell in Jerusalem on Sunday. |
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Mr hardman old chap, All settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are considered illegal under international law, though Israel and clearly you disputes this. So tell me, what exactly you, speaking on behalf of Israel, is your argument for special dispensation? Unlike you I will not resort to calling contributors morons. I prefer to debate in a rational manner. Perhaps this behaviour of yours is a personal or maybe a national trait?
His only job would be to hold pointless peace talks. They can go on forever. Both the American president and the Israeli prime minister can then consider the "peace talk" box as checked without wasting any of their valuable time.
GM is a fine and honoralbe man who genuinely cares about peace and the welfare of human beings. He should dedicate the remainder of his life to people who want peace. Dealing with duplicitous, mediocre Bibi is a waste of everyone's time.
It is plain to see, both sides accept status quo over any compromise over their core aspirations in the West Bank. Shoving it to the back burner to simmer another few years is horrible. It would be better if the U.S. put the onus on Palestinians, to mend their split and have a single, credible negotiating team, before trying to start talks at any level. I think it is time to cancel all Palestinian aid and tell Bibi that he and Israel are responsible, as a belligerent occupying power, for how they manage the situations in both Gaza and the West Bank. I think we'd see a lot more willingness to talk from both sides.
saving face, caving in under pressure...call it what you want..if the pals want a state, they need to sit and talk. maybe this is abbas's ladder down fromn the tree he climbed up into. hahahahahahahahaha...
which laws are they alan ?? like so many slogan writing morons you dont know what planet youre on !!
"U.S. President Barack Obama said in an interview published last week he had underestimated the difficulty of resolving the Middle East conflict and had set his expectations too high in his first year". Enforce International Law. The time for procrastination is over. Who is Israel to say it does not apply. Come on now it isn't really that difficult. Its not anti-semitic to say Israel is breaking the law. Israel really needs to accept that fact and the international community needs to reinforce that fact. Simples.
Next we will see George Mitchell down at the Natural History Museum trying to jump start the heart on a dinosaur skeleton.
..between West Bank butchers of Fatah, and Islamic terrorists of Hamas in Gaza, it's impossible to make any agreement, "low-level" or high. Fatah will be called traitors by Hamas if they agree to anything. Why should we concede anything to them anyway? The military situation is to our advantage, neither can threaten us, so why give in to their demands? That's asking us to self-destruct - which too many people around the world are secretly hoping for. The 1948 Mandate borders are our own. The so-called "illegal settlements" in W Bank are on legitimate Israeli territory - Arabs are lucky we did not claim all the land that God gave to us! Our title deeds are Genesis 15:18-21. Why give them one square foot of it? Why "evacuate" one Israeli citizen from our OWN land? There's no room for a Palestinian state. Israel is by law a Jewish state. Arabs should convert to Judaism, or leave. I'm sure their Arab brothers would welcome them. It's hard to imagine Hamas fanatics become loyal Israelis!
...like Obama will be tough to find. Palestinians: to be honest, I think you are making Jews of the world quite happy, because Obama is 1 president who actually sits on the left. Bush, was a whole hearted right winger, Clinton, maybe a tad left of Centre on some issues, on others to right. On Israel, he was much more on Israel's side than Palestinians. he might not be perfect, but you are making a mistake to not accept him. Its unfortunate he may be 1 term What do you think will happen if that Republican gets elected? well I will be happy as I think he will give the recognition that takes EJ off the negotiations map. Once EJ is gone, well that's it because, I think Israel will be very quick to sign a deal and end this charade or at least come to the table with the deal. If Palestinian keep refusing and demanding part of a soveriegn Israel they will get the Arafat Label. and that will kill the PR. Sad...
Better to waste the time of a bunch of low level guys than the top decision makers.
Yet again...the US is attempting to jump-start a peace that no one wants. And yet again, our efforts will be met with derision, dislike, and disrespect from both Israel and the PA. It is time to stop wasting our (US) time and effort...if the history of the last 60 years teaches a lesson...it is that it should now be obvious that neither side truly wants peace...or it would have happened already.
execute terrorists. Like chemical ali. same.
93 years of failure is not enough for the morons in washington ??
Yeah, low level talks it is. That way, if/when the same old thing happens again we'll have been spared another boring photo op.
Netanyahu maintains a facade of wanting negotiations but truly is committed to the destruction of Palestine. Mitchell is wasting his time. If the USA were truly committed to peace in the Middle East, it has economic tools and alliances that could force the negotiations. However Obama lacks the fortitude to use them.
They've decided Netanyahu has no interest in making peace. Well done, guys.
people. Fifty years from now, Israelis will still be pretending to want peace and a two state solution with the Pals, while they will be the minority in an Apartheid system with no friends left in the world. Well, actually, that time is now.
or buying time for israeli colonizers grab more land?
Must the whole world be party to this fraud?
During the last decade Israel has done plenty of so-called confidence-building measures: released plenty of Palestinian terrorists and transfered various territories such as Gaza to Pals. Enough is enough. I say let's now Pals do something for a change.