Erekat: No direct talks with Israel in weeks. It seems negotiations have run out of steam and Kerry had no choice to present his Framework. So both sides have been negotiating with Kerry to get the Agreement in their favour.
According to the Arab response, Khartoum rules; no negotiations, no recognition, no peace. Netanyahu made no land claims beyond the major settlement blocs ( so much for his comment to the Likud central committee ““[I have] one goal – to ensure that the people of Israel [stay] in its historic homeland. This is what guides me.”) and insisted that Israel must be able “to defend itself by itself” and insisted on recognition. Kerry’s proposal breaches all his red lines. What a farce. Ted Belman
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — US Secretary of state John Kerry will present Palestinian and Israeli leaders with a framework peace agreement by the end of the month, an Arab League official said.
Mohammad Sbeih, secretary-general of Palestinian affairs at the Arab League, told Ma’an that Kerry would present a proposed peace agreement by Dec. 31.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas informed the Arab League about the upcoming proposal, saying it would contain US suggestions regarding the borders of the future Palestinian state, Sbeih said.
Abbas told the League that “once he receives the American proposal he will not respond but will present it to Arab nations to make a joint decision.”
Sbeih said Abbas articulated his exact position on the peace agreement, which were as follows:
– Abbas would accept a Palestinian state with the entirety of East Jerusalem as its capital, with limited land swaps as long as the lands being traded were of equal value.
– He would accept an incremental withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian land, allowing them up to three years to leave.
– He would reject the idea of any permanent Israeli military presence in the Jordan Valley, but would welcome an international peacekeeping presence.
– He would refuse to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
– He would reject any interim agreement, calling instead for a final solution.
– He would reject any proposal that required Palestine to be an unarmed state, but said he would not get involved in an “arms race.”
Sbeih said the Arab League sent Kerry an urgent message that detailed the League’s vision of the peace process.
Abbas was in Egypt Friday and Saturday, where he met with foreign ministers from Arab League countries. He briefed them on the latest developments in peace talks with the Israelis.
Peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians were relaunched in July under the auspices of the US after nearly three years of impasse.
Well, it ain’t over just yet.
Israel’s best friend is coming in a few weeks. That would be Canadian PM Harper. There have been some preliminary communications; I know Ya’alon was over in Canada only a few weeks ago. So, something may be cooking.
I don’t think Harper is coming over to tell Israel to capitulate to Obama/Kerry.
I suspect – just suspect, mind you, this is only a hunch – that he is going to throw a diplomatic monkey wrench into the works, in Israel’s favor. He might propose some ideas of his own that, while not perfect, will be a lot more Israel-friendly than Obama/Kerry’s little “plan”. The point of this will be to present an alternative plan for Israel and her supporters to rally around, and which could have the potential – maximum case – of putting the onus for the lack of peace back on the Arabs, where it belongs (at least in the eyes of substantial segments of opinion/commentary). At the very least, it could complicate things and give Netanyahu someone beside him to help him gather up enough courage to say “NO” to Obama/Kerry.
We shall see.
In any case, it is hard for me to see Netanyahu agreeing to any sort of agreement unless he gets formal recognition as a Jewish state by the Palis. And now that it seems that Obama has screwed him on Iran, he has no perceived incentive, either. There is no more of the rumored “quid pro quo” of “Iran for Palestine”. Everyone knows now that Obama is never going to do anything seriuos about Iran, and is never going to support Israel in doing anything, either, no matter what Israel does or does not agree to with the PA.
Given the above, at the end of the day, I really do not expect Netanyahu to cave on the PA issue. I am concerned, however, that he has/will flinch on Iran. I sure hope I’m wrong about that, but that is how it looks to me at this point.
ebyjeeby Said:
The only place right now where the sun don’t shine is Israel.
Netanyahu is the problem – not the solution.
How could Israel ever agree to Abbas’ terms? What’s the point in negotiations?
I hope BB tells Kerry to put his ‘framework’ where the sun doesn’t shine.
Regretfully our people is not able to prove being one. We just do not know how to select our leaders, let alone stand for ourselves.
Surrender will be total unless an unlikely miracle turns Netanyahu into a balled Jew.
We clearly identified that specimen long ago when he volunteered to be incorporated into the enemies camp. His cardboard and red marker histrionics, his speechster faces did not clue anyone? He was always a second hand furniture salesman, a liar, cheat and coward and did his trade already. I wonder how we manage to be in denial for generations.
The creep selected Barak, then Weinstein, later Alon as general, then Livi and Lapid and before that aligned with Sharon, his son and the rest of the sewer creatures for “disengagement”… and we still miss of the clues. Unreal.
Destroyed homes and allowed torture of our people, no clues either.
He will release also the murderers again. Destroy Amona, attack Jews, etc.
Whatever it takes to get his Nobel.
@ Laura:
Oh Laura. Sometimes you make me laugh. You go girl! Keep dealing with those bohunks in Washington and I will deal with the ones in Ottawa.
Tell Kerry to go f*** himself.
What ever happened to “Land for Peace”? Now it’s “Land for Terrorists so they can Destroy Us” I don’t care what kind of pressure BB is getting, the response seriously has to be: “No Thank You Very Much!”
Our reliance on the U.S. of A can’t be a suicide pact!
And since we have now come to the crossroads, it’s time to stop the charade once and for all and forever and annex the entirety of J&S and drive the terrorists to their 80% of Palestine across the Jordan River or to their additional slice in Gazastan. Any peaceful Arab that wishes to stay can as an alien resident with the civil and religious rights as guaranteed by the Mandate. Finished. Done.
Now we will find out if Bibi turns into a Sharon (the retreating politician not the general) or the Lion Shamir and simply say no when Israel is asked to give land to our enemies for a worthless piece of paper.
Israel can certainly get a hudna. But real peace is not in the cards.
The Arabs have made that perfectly clear.
Now the only question left is if Netanyahu is going to surrender Israel to the Arabs in the face of overwhelming American pressure.
We have reached Israel’s make or break moment.