Israel Hardens Its Peace Terms Ahead Of Saudi Arab Summit

[Purveyor]

Israel has begun staking out its minimum conditions for any attempt by "moderate" Arab regimes to advance a peace process with the Palestinians, in the apparent hope of influencing a Saudi-convened Arab summit later this month.

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The importance Israel has attached to the Riyadh summit, which will review and, according to Israeli sources quoted in Ha'aretz yesterday, possibly modify the peace plan, appeared to underline the increasingly pivotal importance of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in the diplomacy of the region. The Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is expected to make a rare visit to Saudi Arabia for talks with the King today, inviting speculation that the two leaders will discuss issues on which both have been increasingly at odds, not least Iraq and Lebanon.

Ms Livni's warning about the details of the Saudi initiative on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, as approved in Beirut, comes three months after the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said there were "positive elements" in the plan, which provided for pan-Arab recognition of Israel in return for an Israeli withdrawal to 1967 borders.

Ms Livni used her interview, and another one with the Israeli Channel Ten to distinguish between "parts that are acceptable to Israel and what seems to us like an absolute red line." She made clear that the latter category included the plan's clause on the return of refugees whose families were displaced in 1948 "in accordance with UN Resolution 194."

While the resolution provides for recognition of a right of return for refugees to Israel, Ms Livni reiterated her view that this was incompatible with the goal of a two-state solution. Israel has long made it clear that it would only accept the return of refugees to a future Palestinian state.

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http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2323434.ece

[acmavm]

1. Isreal doesn't want peace. They want land and water and to hell with

anyone else.

[breakaleg]

2. I agree. n/t

[cali]

7. Palestinians don't want peace

They want to destroy Israel. My goodness but that's easy, and just as worthless and pointless as your sweeping statememt. The truth is that factions on both side don't want peace. But most people, on both sides, do.

Oh, and actually, there's nothing wrong with what Livni is doing. There's a peace proposal, she's putting forth a counter proposal. It's called negotiation.

[pennylane100]

3. Why does that not surprise me.

I knew that the "right of return" would be problematic and subject to further negotiations but I had always hoped that Israel would agree to return to their 1967 borders. Maybe I misread the article but it seems they also want to negotiate that also.

I have always felt that Israel was never going to withdraw to their own land and that sadly, there will never be peace there.

[breakaleg]

4. The two stickling points are basically what is required by international law.

I find this interesting. Is Israel not required to follow the law like the rest of us?

Basically, they aren't even interested in the 1967 borders, so what about all those settlements being "temporary"? I guess not.

The question is, why does anyone believe anything that Israel has to say?

[Solo_in_MD]

5. The 1948 borders were never supposed to be permanent

to see people refering to them innaccurately as the the 1967 borders and that they were some how approved and sanctioned is amusing. The best historical borders would be those laid out by the Brits, but the Arab countries did not like them then or now.

[breakaleg]

6. 1967 borders are to Israel's advantage. But if they don't like them, then let's start from 1948.

[oberliner]

9. This does not seem like a constructive road towards a peaceful resolution

Let's start with areas of mutual agreement, perhaps?

[Violet_Crumble]

8. Are you talking about this proposal for borders?

If so, Israel definately wouldn't like them now, and didn't like them then, but accepted it grudgingly...

[Shaktimaan]

10. They were also happy to accept the '49 borders,

in exchange for peace.
They were willing to accept the peel plan. They were willing to give the PA almost all of the west bank and all of gaza in exchange for peace in 2000.

Have you guys noticed a trend yet?

[Violet_Crumble]

12. I've noticed a trend...

They were willing to give the PA almost all of the west bank and all of gaza in exchange for peace in 2000.

And that trend is that you tend to get stuff wrong always in favour of trying to make Israel look really good. 80% of the West Bank (and some of that was only to be handed over after about 15 years) is not 'almost all' no matter how anyone looks at it...

Baraks Generous Offer

[Tom Joad]

11. Israel hardens it surrender terms ahead of summit.