It seems that Israel is willing to release extra prisoners, perhaps up to 400 for an extension of negotiations. But why would this be considered “benefit to Israel”. Such a large number suggests to me that there is an attempt to include the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state or the state of the Jewish people. This would be considered a benefit. Furthermore Kerry’s proposal just offers the Palestinians a suburb of the eastern part of Jerusalem as opposed to East Jerusalem. Ted Belman
Prime minister says no deal will be made until it’s clear what Israel’s getting in return; earlier, Israel offered to release additional prisoners in exchange for an extension of the peace talks deadline.
Any deal with the Palestinians to extend peace negotiations that involves additional Israeli gestures like releasing prisoners will be subject to cabinet approval, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Likud ministers Sunday morning.
“I suggest that all speculation be avoided until the full picture becomes clear, and this could happen in a matter of a few days,” Netanyahu said. “Either this is going to be settled or it’s going to fall apart. At any rate there won’t be any deal until it’s clear what the State of Israel is getting in return, and if there is a deal it will be brought to the government for approval.”
[..] However, as the deadline for the fourth instalment approached, with the Palestinians indicating that they would not continue the peace talks beyond the beyond their April 29 deadline, Israel said it would not release the last prisoners until the Palestinians first agreed to extend the peace talks. Israel conveyed via the United States that if the Palestinians did agreed to extend the talks, it would release additional prisoners beyond the promised 30, Haaretz reported Saturday.
Prisoners and settlements
The Walla! website reported Saturday that Israel offered to release 400 Palestinian prisoners, along with the fourth group of prisoners in exchange for another six months of negotiations with the Palestinians. According to the report, Israel agreed to release Israeli Arab prisoners, although this was conditioned on Israel choosing all the prisoners who would be released. A senior Israeli official said the report was inaccurate, although he did not completely dismiss it.
The Palestinians said over the past two weeks that they would agree to extend the negotiations deadline only if Israel releases additional prisoners to the 104 it originally agreed to and freezes settlement construction.
It is not clear whether, along with moves to release more prisoners, Israel will also agree to take steps to curb construction in the settlements. If Israel does release more prisoners, and if construction is curbed, Netanyahu’s coalition is likely to fall apart, especially considering the objection of Economy Minister Naftali Bennett’s party, Habayit Hayehudi, to the moves.
The official added that Abbas probably won’t decide on the matter for another few days or up to two weeks, since he wants to give the Americans a chance to resolve the current crisis over the fourth prisoner release, and perhaps find a way to extend Israeli-Palestinian talks for another six to 12 months. The Palestinian official said talks with the Americans on this issue were continuing.
But other senior Palestinian Authority and Fatah officials told Haaretz that Abbas feels he no longer has anything left to lose, and is telling the Americans that if they don’t solve the crisis now, they’ll have to deal with his successor – if there is one.
@ yamit82:
yamit82 Sweetheart, thank you for all the information on Deborah, it was very kind of you. If I ever go to war I will appoint you my Barak!
If it ain’t broke don’t try to fix it!!! Kerry might be right that we have it too good to care about peace with the terrorists
Israel’s Unemployment Rate Drops to Record Low in February
Israel’s unemployment rate has dropped to a record low in February 2014, down to 4.9% compared to 5.4% in January for people aged 25-64.
According to a seasonally adjusted study released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) last week, over 3.5 million people out of 8.1 million people are employed in Israel. The study found that 216,000 people were unemployed February, approximately 3,000 fewer than in January.
Among males aged 25-64, the employment rate rose to 81.1% and among females aged 25-64, the employment rate rose to 71%. The CBS survey found that unemployment also declined for those people aged 15 and over, from 5.9% in January to 5.8% in February. The employment rate for that age group rose to 60.5% in February.
Four out five people (ages 25 to 64) are currently employed, with participation in the labor force rising to a record high of 80% in February according to CBS data.
In addition, the CBS survey found that among employed men, 87% work full time and 13% work part time. Among employed women, 67% work full time and 33% work part-time.
The number of employed people who usually work full time (35 hours or more per week), increased by 0.8% compared with January – an additional 21,000 employed people.
Israel’s unemployment rates have been trending low the past two years, a source in the Central Bureau of Statistics told Tazpit News Agency.
@ bernard ross:
Poll Shows: Majority of Israelis Oppose Territorial Concessions
JERUSALEM – a poll conducted for the Knesset TV channel reveals that the majority of Israelis oppose territorial concessions as part of a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority. 61% of the Israeli public believes that Israel should not relinquish land in Judea and Samaria in exchange for a peace agreement; 39% believe this is the right move to make.
The poll, published last Thursday (Mar. 27), further shows that 70% of the Israeli public do not view PA Chairman Abu-Mazzen as a partner in peace, and only 30% believe he is a potential partner.
Responding to the poll results, Peace Now Director Yariv Oppenheimer said he believes Israel still has a great opportunity in its hands. “Netanyahu is missing this chance. Unlike most of the public, I believe the blame [for the failure of the peace negotiations] rests mostly with the Israeli government.”
The Knesset passed the Referendum Law two weeks ago, requiring a referendum in a scenario in which the government decides to make territorial concessions as part of a peace agreement. In the eventuality that the Knesset itself has 80 members supporting the concessions, a referendum is not required by law.
After the passing of the law, Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said he supported the law “simply because the decision on such an agreement must be received by the people.”
Combining the poll’s results with the Referendum Law leaves little room for territorial concessions in the current state of affairs.
@ yamit82:
At least Bennett is seeing the need to communicate with us rebels in the diaspora….. I think Bennett knows that if there is any more release of prisoners there WILL BE AN ERUPTION. PA blew it as soon as they fired a rocket. Why is this not stressed!!!!!
Kerry Back in Town to Force Release of Terrorists
Kerry may force Israel to free more terrorist; the problem is he won’t take them with him when he leaves.
@ bernard ross:
Rumor Mill Turns Pollard into a Bargaining Chip
Feel sorry for Pollard. He is doomed in jail but would feel doomed if freed in exchange for prisoners and “peace talks.”
If Kerry succeeds in forging an agreement between Netanyahu and Abbas to continue talks, at the price of Israel’s freeing hundreds of terrorists in return for Pollard, a dual America-Israeli citizen, Pollard would feel like a prisoner of confused emotions as much he is a physical prisoner while in jail
He has dismissed previous attempts to win his release in exchange for Israel’s freeing terrorists, stating he would prefer to stay in jail than knowing he weakened Israel’s security and contributed to the spilling of more blood. More than 120 Israelis have been murdered by terrorists who have been freed, many of them having signed a pledge never to return to terror.
AbbaGuutuu Said:
I am reminded of:
“… Be vigilant not to seal a covenant with the inhabitants of the Land to which you are coming, since they will be a fatal trap for you.'” (Exodus 34:11-12)
“For you said, “We have made a treaty (covenant) with death, and with the grave we have set a limit; when an overflowing scourge passes, it shall not come upon us, for we have made lies our shelter and in falsehood have we hidden ourselves. And your treaty with death shall be nullified, and your limit with the grave shall not endure; when an overflowing scourge passes, you shall be trampled by it. When it passes, it shall take you, for every morning it shall pass, by day and by night, and it shall be only terror to understand the message.) Isaiah 28
… ‘Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them, “When you cross the Jordan [River] to the Land of Canaan, you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the Land from before you; and you shall destroy all their prostration stones; all their molten images shall you destroy; and all their high places shall you demolish. You shall possess the Land, and you shall settle in it; for, to you have I given the Land to possess it. … But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the Land from before you, those of them whom you leave shall be pins in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they will harass you upon the Land in which you dwell. And it shall be that what I had meant to do to them, I shall do to you.”‘” (Numbers 33:50-56)
“They [Children of Israel] provoked Me with a non-god, angered Me with their vanities; so shall I provoke them with a non-people, with a vile nation shall I anger them.” (Deuteronomy 32:21)
No treaties!! No agreements!!!! We either drive them out or kill them then there will be peace. Peace of the grave should apply only to the Arabs.
@ bernard ross:
Barghouti should have been stuffed into a wood chipper and his remains used to fertilize fodder for the pigs.
Will never happen even for Pollard. More Israelis are against Barghouti’s release than for Pollards.
The vast majority of the Likud will revolt even though the left will favor.
BB himself would do it if he could get away with it politically though; so we have to pay attention to his under the table moves.
The only restraints on BB giving away the whole store is his innate fear of being deposed from office unceremoniously. He could call a snap election hoping to get a mandate as he has no apparent consensus opposition leader he thinks that would be a real threat today.
Ploy seems to be by asking for what they know BB can’t deliver. They hope or believe he will up the concessions ante to Abbas in other ways.
There is nothing wrong to have a beneficial peaceful agreement. It is not fair and just when one side is required to give one concession after the other that leads to endless demands. If the release of the Palestinians prisoners is something that cannot be stopped, I hope Israel gets something vital in return for the release of the prisoners (though I don’t understand why releasing of prisoners be part of the so called peace process in the first place unless their “crimes” were doubtful).
The one card that PA may play sooner or later (unless forbidden by an agreement) is going to UN for recognition as a state.
If UNSC approves the wish of PA without Israel’s consent, will this in any way affect Israel legally and change the situation on the ground?
bernard ross Said:
It’s all about sitting at the table for a period of time, not about the results of the particular period of sitting. the results of this sitting until the end of april will be another sitting to the end of 2014 and the payment of prisoners for the extension is the same.
Therefore, what does Israel get for this sitting down till the end of 2014?
During this period there will be the US midterm election, the syria question, the Iran issue, the lebanon issue, the Iraq issue, the Kurdish issue, the Crimea issue, med natural gas issues, pipeline issues………..
The pal state issue………..
What does Abbas get for delaying the pal state issue? the release of his prisoners, possibly a little bit of C, possibly a reinstatement to ruling gaza or a deal for a reduced hamas rule, the lucrative status quo,……..
What does Israel get, what is BB expecting to get for Israel?………..
Does he already know what he is to get, is it just a punch and judy show, a US TV wrestling match, a necessary drama to occupy the streets?
Obama is ratcheting back up his support of the syrian jihadis with manpads through saudi arabia now that benghazi is dying down. GCC is increasing its support of jihadis while talking out the other side of their mouth. I expect a US rapprochement, for the street, with Sisi as a result of the coming elections that will take obama off the hook. Turkey has entered the GCC war more actively for the sunnis jihadis, Russia has taken crimea
No side is ready for its “street” to make a final agreement. they will move slowly over years but Israel and GCC are cooperating. Israel wants to keep Golan permanently and an end to Assad sovereignty on that border, coupled with a fragmentation of Syria would increase that potentiality. I think the GCC has no problem with that result. GCC seeks a political solution to Syria but needs to increase their holdings for negotiations. Perhaps even Assad and russia are willing for Assad to give up some control: Russia for acceptance of crimea takeover. What would persuade Assad to such a deal: lots of money in the bank in a GCC country coupled with a safe passage agreement in the future, GCC agreement to a reduced sovereignty over syria and soviet/GCC agreement for protection of a smaller alawite area. this would start first as a federal syria with autonomous areas like iraq with future realignments and borders over time along those lines.
Israel is now reportedly offering to pay Arab blackmail with more of the same failed gesture of affronting justice – why? What concessions are the Arabs going to make?
And Prime Minister Netanyahu sits there and insults our intelligence by telling us we have a peace partner when in fact its clear we have a ruthless blackmailer and an unreconstructed terrorist on the other side of the table. With whom no deal is possible, period.
He should have the decency to resign in shame before his stupidity inflicts more damage upon Israel! Nothing good will come out of extending this farce.
Is that reassuring? Nope.
I smell a monumental rat on the whole dance and show. Observing the haggard faces of those two is even more of a warning sign. RATS AHOY!
Peres piped in Vienna today that a big deal is in the offing within 24 hours.
That is even more creepy.