Abbas pushes Obama towards Arab plan

[C.MAXIMUS]

Abbas pushes Obama towards Arab plan

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1226404801964&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is asking US President-elect Barack Obama (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:void%280%29) to implement (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:void%280%29) an Arab peace plan as soon as he enters office.

Abbas spoke at an economic conference in the northern West Bank town of Nablus on Saturday.
It is the first time the Abbas has asked Obama to adopt the Arab peace plan.

The Arab Peace (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:void%280%29) Initiative, based on the Saudi peace plan of February 2002, calls for a full Israeli withdrawal from all territories taken in the Six Day War, including east Jerusalem, in exchange for normalizing ties with the Arab world
In return, Arab and Muslim states will recognize Israel and have full relations.

Last week, however, former American peace envoy Dennis Ross, who is a senior advisor to Obama on Middle East policy (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:void%280%29), denied a Sunday Times report that Obama is planning to base his peacemaking efforts in the Middle East on the Arab Initiative.
"I was in the meeting in Ramallah," Ross said. "Then-Senator Obama did not say this. The story is false."
This week Abbas took his case for peace directly to ordinary Israelis, assuring them that the Arab peace plan would bring them benefits.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will head to Washington this week for his final meeting with US President George W. Bush.
The three-day visit, beginning Sunday, will focus on Iran's nuclear program and the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks launched by Bush last year.
Bush invited Olmert to a White House meeting as part of his final round of talks with world leaders before he leaves office on Jan. 20. Olmert, who announced his plans to resign in September amid corruption charges, will step down after a successor is chosen Feb. 10.

Herb Keinon and Jpost.com staff contributed to this report.

I think it is easier to see a monkey fly than the new Israeli government to withdraw from Jerusalem

[Invisigoth]

I wonder when Mr.Abbas is gonna get the memo that the talking-nice part is over? Obama pushing Israel to give up East Jerusalem? Yeah...right.

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/801/obamaib4.jpg

[JJC]

I don't think it is out of question that one day Israel will be pulling back from 1967 lines including giving up parts of East Jerusalem.

Whatever the pullback standard will be, it will not be because of Arabs or U.S. pushing the policy, it will be because Israeli politicians and the public are confused on the issue. You have politicians who bend on Jerusalem, Hebron, and even large populations like Male Adunim as occupied settlements.

I have read that Obama charged Robert Malley with Arab-Israeli negotiations, and that might be a prbolem for Israel, because Malley always sided with every Palestinian demand and under Clinton administration blamed Israel for Camp David breakdown even when Dennis Ross and Clinton himself was angry with Arafat's rejection of accepting Brack's offer to give East Jerusalem. Ross himself wrote that no one on U.S. side pushed for East Jerusalem because they didn't believe any Israeli would give it up.

[C.MAXIMUS]

I don't think it is out of question that one day Israel will be pulling back from 1967 lines including giving up parts of East Jerusalem.

Whatever the pullback standard will be, it will not be because of Arabs or U.S. pushing the policy, it will be because Israeli politicians and the public are confused on the issue. You have politicians who bend on Jerusalem, Hebron, and even large populations like Male Adunim as occupied settlements.

I have read that Obama charged Robert Malley with Arab-Israeli negotiations, and that might be a prbolem for Israel, because Malley always sided with every Palestinian demand and under Clinton administration blamed Israel for Camp David breakdown even when Dennis Ross and Clinton himself was angry with Arafat's rejection of accepting Brack's offer to give East Jerusalem. Ross himself wrote that no one on U.S. side pushed for East Jerusalem because they didn't believe any Israeli would give it up.

I think the only reason that Livni did not give up Jerusalem was because of Shas, if they could get away with it would probably have been done. Olmert was soo deep in his own trouble that probably hindered the process as well.

IMHO if Bibi is elected in February Jerusalem will be out of question, even if the new US administration increases the pressure for it.

[budgie]

"The Arab Peace Initiative, based on the Saudi peace plan of February 2002, calls for a full Israeli withdrawal from all territories taken in the Six Day War, including east Jerusalem, in exchange for normalizing ties with the Arab world
In return, Arab and Muslim states will recognize Israel and have full relations."

If this alone would cause the Arab states to officially recognize Israel it is worth consideration. I'm not going to wax cynical and complain that it won't stop the odd attack, but without full backing from the rest of the Arab world, groups like Hamas and Hizbollah are going to have a hard time getting support. Iran is a long way off from the West Bank and can only cause so much mischief...

[Mr.Flint]

"The Arab Peace Initiative, based on the Saudi peace plan of February 2002, calls for a full Israeli withdrawal from all territories taken in the Six Day War, including east Jerusalem, in exchange for normalizing ties with the Arab world
In return, Arab and Muslim states will recognize Israel and have full relations."

If this alone would cause the Arab states to officially recognize Israel it is worth consideration. I'm not going to wax cynical and complain that it won't stop the odd attack, but without full backing from the rest of the Arab world, groups like Hamas and Hizbollah are going to have a hard time getting support. Iran is a long way off from the West Bank and can only cause so much mischief...
Being long way off, didnt stop Iran from supporting Hamas.
Significant financial support of Hamas and Hizbollah, is coming not from Arab governments or government related structures, but from grassroots supporters, and not only in ME, in the West as well. (Often despite the laws against, and with significant support from the Left)
Official recognition by Arab states will be of little benefit, as it is in Egypt and to a lesser extent in Jordan. The street remains vehemently anti Israel, with the opposition (Islamic, or Democratic) demanding withdrawal of recognition and even declaration of war.

The Arab Plan, as usual, isnt worth the paper it written on.
Frankly i dont believe that there is even a point to seek their recognition.

[C.MAXIMUS]

"The Arab Peace Initiative, based on the Saudi peace plan of February 2002, calls for a full Israeli withdrawal from all territories taken in the Six Day War, including east Jerusalem, in exchange for normalizing ties with the Arab world
In return, Arab and Muslim states will recognize Israel and have full relations."

If this alone would cause the Arab states to officially recognize Israel it is worth consideration. I'm not going to wax cynical and complain that it won't stop the odd attack, but without full backing from the rest of the Arab world, groups like Hamas and Hizbollah are going to have a hard time getting support. Iran is a long way off from the West Bank and can only cause so much mischief...

Recognition from Arab countries is as good as toilet paper... In day to day lives it will make very little difference on support for terrorists. SA recognizes everyone but still pumps billions in wahabi factories, even in the UK. Unfortunately the only peace Israel will have is by having secure borders and neighbors that respect her.

[Snoshi]

Like Flint wrote.. There are not many Arab dictators or leaders that currently support Hamas or HZB.. Most of its support comes from Iran or Syria when it comes "governments" or the "Arab street" which remains very anti-Israeli in all of the Arab countries even in those who have a peace agreement with Israel.

[Alfacentori]

All territory from the 6 day war hmmm, that would include the Golan Heights, like hell should Israel give that up, for Syria's recognition..... after all the efforts Syria has put into being a good neighbour of Israel :cantbeli:

Israel took the Golan after being attacked, at a cost, and it is the key to the defence of northern Israel.

Alfa