Arab states unanimously approve Saudi peace initiative

[bemildred]

Arab leaders gathering for a two-day summit in Saudi Arabia unanimously approved Wednesday the Saudi peace initiative originally launched in 2002.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas voted in favor of the initiative, although Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas abstained in the vote.

The plan offers Israel recognition and permanent peace with all Arab countries in return for Israeli withdrawal from lands captured in the 1967 Six Day War. It also calls for setting up a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and a just solution to the issue of Palestinian refugees.

Haaretz

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. Now watch Condi stomp her Pradas because it is not HER idea.

that witch has caused so much trouble around the world. I can't wait to see how she screws this up.

[bemildred]

2. I don't know about Condi in particular.

But it should be interesting to see how this is "spun" in various quarters (and I don't mean just the Israeli government by any means).

[whistle]

3. Do the Saudis really believe Israel will agree to this?

...closing two paragraphs read:

Abbas: Arab plan offers Israel chance to live in 'sea of peace'
The Arab peace plan could be Israel's last chance to live in a "sea of peace" and should not be squandered, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday.

"This initiative simply says to Israel 'leave the occupied territories and you will live in a sea of peace that begins in Nouakchott and ends in Indonesia'," he said, referring to the Mauritanian capital in West Africa and the southeast Asian country that is the world's most populous Muslim country.

Israeli zionists who control Israel do not want peace. They wish only for dominance over the region and expanded territory and the United States neocons to back them up.

[henank]

6. If Israel wanted dominance over the region

Why did she give back the entire Sinai, including tourist resorts, settlements and an oil field? Why did she withdraw from Gaza? Don't you think that if Israel really wanted total dominance over the region she would have achieved that way back 1n 1967 when all the Arab armies were totally defeated? Why do you spout this nonsense?

As for the "sea of peace". Well, the sea part might be correct - that's usually where the Arabs want to send the Jews. What kind of peace would it be when Hamas - the government closest geographically to Israel - says stuff like this:

Hamas adopts ambiguity policy on Arab peace plan
In discussions with Haaretz Tuesday, a number of leading Hamas figures in the Gaza Strip said the group would refrain from expressing its views on the Arab peace initiative that members of the Arab League, including the Palestinian Authority, are expected to support during the summit in Riyadh.

The figures said the organization woulf adopt a policy of ambiguity on its stance vis-a-vis the peace initiative. However, senior Hamas officials admitted that they are opposed to parts of the initiative relating to a peace agreement with Israel or its recognition.

<...snip...>

The spokesman for Hamas in the Palestinian parliament, Salah al-Bardawil, told Haaretz, "we will not agree to recognition of Israel or peace with it .

Haaretz

[Phx_Dem]

4. Hamas is not on board

Bardawil told Haaretz that Meshal had promised to Saudi King Adbullah that Hamas will work with the Arab consensus view, but "we cannot recognize Israel or agree to peace and normalization."

The entire plan is bullshit, it's just another weak attempt to undo Oslo.

[rockymountaindem]

5. But gee, we hear all the time about how Hamas is supposedly moderating its line

now that it's in the government. Yeah, right :sarcasm:

[Violet_Crumble]

7. And what makes Oslo preferable in yr eyes?

I haven't seen anything about the Saudi peace plan that could be described as bullshit, so I'm wondering what the differences are between it and Oslo that makes you think that Oslo is so much more preferable...

[Eugene]

8. Israel rejects Arab peace plan as is

Source: Agence France-Presse

Israel rejects Arab peace plan as is

2 hours, 47 minutes ago

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said
on Thursday that Israel refused to accept the revived Arab peace
initiative as it currently stands and said negotiations were needed.

"There is only one way to overcome our differences, and that is
negotiation," Peres told Israeli public radio. "It's impossible to say:
you must take what we offer you as is."

The blueprint, which was endorsed at an Arab summit on
Wednesday, offers Israel full normalisation of relations if it
withdraws from all land occupied in the 1967 war and allows the
creation of a Palestinian state and the return of Palestinian
refugees.

Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070329/wl_mideast_afp/arabsummitmideastpeaceisrael_070329062502

[Eugene]

9. Israel says interested in talks with moderate Arabs

Source: Reuters

Israel says interested in talks with moderate Arabs
29 Mar 2007 18:12:25 GMT
Source: Reuters

-snip-

JERUSALEM, March 29 (Reuters) - Israel said on Thursday it was interested
in holding talks with moderate Arab states but stopped short of welcoming
a renewed peace offer as did the United States.

Arab leaders earlier on Thursday endorsed a 5-year-old plan offering Israel
normal ties with all Arab countries in return for its withdrawal from land
seized in the 1967 Middle East war, the creation of a Palestinian state and
a "just solution" for Palestinians displaced in 1948 with Israel's creation.

A statement issued by Israel's Foreign Ministry said "direct dialogue" between
Israel and the Palestinians was necessary and that moderate Arab states can
fill a "positive role by encouraging regional cooperation, and supporting the
Israel-Palestinian track."

The statement stopped short of welcoming the Arab initiative itself. In
contrast, the United States said it viewed the outcoming of the Arab summit
as "very positive".

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L18483453.htm

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Also: TEXT-Israeli statement on Arab summit - Reuters