PressTV (Iran) Sun Dec 24, 2017
Informed Palestinian officials say Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman tried to persuade Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to agree to a so-called Middle East peace plan put forward by the US during a recent meeting.
Abbas held talks with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the crown prince in Riyadh earlier this week.
The meetings came days after Abbas formally declared that Palestinians would no longer accept the US as a mediator to resolve the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We do not accept any role of the United States in the political process from now on, because it is completely biased towards Israel,” Abbas told an urgent summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Turkish city of Istanbul on December 13.
The announcement followed US President Donald Trump’s controversial recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the “capital” of Israel and his plan to relocate the American embassy from Tel Aviv to the ancient city.
The Palestinian officials with knowledge of Abbas’ meeting with bin Salman told the Middle East Eye news portal that the latter had described the US as “the only game in town” concerning the so-called peace process.
“The US is the only one with real influence on Israel, it’s the only country that can put pressure on Israel in any peace process and no one else can do [that], neither EU, nor Russia or China,” the officials quoted the first in line to the Saudi throne as telling the Palestinian president.
They noted that bin Salman had attempted to use “soft diplomacy” to persuade Abbas to accept Washington’s proposal and receive US Vice President Mike Pence in his planned visit to the region. Pence, however, postponed his trip amid tensions over Washington’s policy shift on Jerusalem al-Quds.
The sources also stressed that Abbas had made it clear to bin Salman that he was fully committed to any “meaningful” peace process.
Abbas told “the [Saudi] crown prince, ‘if the US is willing to declare that a peace process is based on the [so-called] two-state solution on the ’67 boundaries – including East Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Palestine – we are ready to engage immediately, but if they want to drag us to the Israeli version of peace, we cannot’,” they added.
One of the Palestinian officials predicted that President Abbas would accept no “temporary partial deal, as the one being prepared by Trump’s team.”
The officials told MEE that Abbas was aware of the new US plan but regarded it as a copy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vision: a mini-state on half of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, without Jerusalem al-Quds, refugees, borders and water.
Bin Salman was believed to have told Abbas in a previous meeting earlier this month that the US was “preparing for a peace deal, and this deal might not look good at the beginning but at the end it will be good.”
Palestinian officials express worry that Saudi Arabia is forgoing important Palestinian rights as it acts behind the scenes to advance a US “grand bargain” over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Palestinian officials have repeatedly expressed worry that Saudi Arabia is forgoing important Palestinian rights as it acts behind the scenes to advance a US “grand bargain” over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that heavily favors Israel.
Saudi Arabia’s maneuvering over Palestine comes amid increasing reports that the Riyadh regime is preparing a normalization of ties with Tel Aviv.
@ Sebastien Zorn:
On second thought, we can’t enslave them; the unions would accuse the city of undermining unionized workers with cheap labor. I wonder what the ancient world would have been like, if they’d had unions, not guilds or craft unions, mind you but industrial. That was a big motivation for the North in the U.S. civil war. The entire labor movement pretty much joined the Union army as companies and brigades.
That plus evangelicals
For you, I guess, Felix Quigley:
Edgar G. Said:
Wow, maybe Michael S. was right after all, and the Torah really has application to our own time. If we went to war with the UN, I can really see Deuteronomy 20 as a workeable plan of action:
@ Edgar G.:
D’you know, there should be an office or department in the US Government which would welcome ideas from the public, because some of the things I’ve seen written here would solve many a problem…..the “thinking out of the box” is practiced by intelligent ordinary people more than those in office whose mental processes become stultified by their restricted mandates, and the fact that they’re career seat holders only concerned with keeping their jobs and a low profile..
@ Bear Klein:
If that would work it would be like “Painless Parker” the mythical dentist who advertised painless extraction……
@ Sebastien Zorn: @ Edgar G.
Easiest way to rid of UN in NY is the USA start paying 1/200th of the minimum per year contribution. Anyone the USA does not like stop giving them visa’s to come to the USA. Then have a toll island outside of the UN building charging UN delegates a fee of $10,000 each to get into the building unless they have a special pass issued by Nicky Haley. No need for troops.
Then when the building does not get used for one year or so appropriate it. Then renovate it and sell condos for low cost housing.
@ Bear Klein:
Then perhaps if Trump really wanted to get them out of there, the utilities could be cut off, unless they were also included in a separate agreement. No water, sewer, nor other facilities would make the building untenable. Light they could supply with generators. It would be a perfect end to a wonderful day to see them carting in and out……porta-potties.and massive amounts of bottled water.
Crowds would gather to jeer…knowing New York crowds.
@ Bear Klein:
So, let’s go to to war with the UN and reconquer it. After withdrawing from the Hague and all other restrictive agreements, it woudn’t have to be defensive either. Or we could just emulate the Muslims and say the causus belli was that they hurt our feelings. And it would provide a nice role model for Israel to follow, too.
It would certainly be our most convenient war. The troops would just have to get on the subway to get there. As long as they gave it plenty of extra time for delays.
@ Cathy:
Well said.
Bear Klein Said:
Good idea. I’d like to propose Mudhar Zahran for the role of Palestinian intermediary between Israel and the U.S.
@ Edgar G.:
Land for UN Building in NY was donated by Rockefeller and is no longer US land but international or extraterritorial land according to Wikipedia.
@ Bear Klein:
So as I pointed out earlier, it doesn’t mean that the UN saves that amount but only 22% of that amount. The Headline implied that the US was saving itself $285 mill, which was not the same as the article which you have, in my opinion correctly stayed with. So the US saves $60 mil.
Anyway it’s a mere conjecture at this time because the US has not paid any UN basic share for the past few years anyway But their contributions to UNWRA and Peacekeepers probably have been else they couldn’t operate at all. Not that they are doing anything visible to the naked eye. The way slugs sit and think(?) is the way the UN carries out it’s neccessary operations. In fact it seems that wherever they land themselves, the trouble invariable gets worse, or seems to.
Trump should put them on notice that he may ask them to vacate the premises. Unless, ……….I have a bad feeling here,,,,, did the US donate the property in perpetuity to the UN…I have a vague memory swirling around in my head about that… Perhaps someone who knows will answer.
I don’t recall ever in history where the loser in a war or conflict got to dictate the terms of the peace treaty, but Abbas and the Muslims don’t get this. He has been so coddled by the world that he actually thinks he gets to tell everyone the way it has to be and says “my way or the highway”. What chutzpah! But no one that matters is bowing to this idiot. Israel will not and cannot give more land for a word that will be broken. The PA offers nothing to Israel. Every day that goes by with more ranting and tantrums from Abbas is one day farther from an agreement. We will probably have to use the fund withholding to bring the PA to their knees, or finish the war we’ve been waging with them for decades.
@ Edgar G.:
Trump is cutting $285 million from UN budget that was announced.
@ Bear Klein:
That would be just the medicine we need right now. In my long lifetime, I have never seen a Prsident stand so openly and strongly with Israel, and who carried out exactly what he said he would. Let it continue.
@ Edgar G.:
I still believe the payments are likely to stop unless Abbas starts kissing Trumps butt, which I doubt will happen. It is more likely than not at this point for the payments to the Pals and UNWRA to stop.
Good. Let’s ally with them where temporary interests coincide but never imagine for a second that they are our friends. They are and will always remain, merely enemies deferred, at best. This is where it’s really at: CHESS FEDERATION SAYS ISRAEL EXCLUDED FROM SAUDI-HOSTED MATCH
dated. Dec. 24, 2017.
http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Chess-federation-says-Israel-excluded-from-Saudi-hosted-match-519901
And we, in every non-Muslim majority country in the world, even while allying with the “moderates” among them against common external enemies where it serves our mutual interests, should never let them in, never let them fund anything over here, and continually find ways to legally deport the ones who are here.
@ Bear Klein:
So that announcement is not as certain as it sounded. I obviously didn’t read it as closely as you did.
Anyway the Taylor Force act will seriously cut Abbas’ funds from the US. It should be going into action anytime now, as Abbas has sworn repeatedly that he has no intention of depriving the poor terrorist families of there deserving parnassah. Of course, Abbas being such a liar, maybe what he says can’t be trusted, actually nothing he says can be trusted, but in this case, I don’t think he’d be strong enough to cancel the payments. He wouldn’t last a month, if he did. It’s not just payments, but by now has become bribery, food to pacify the savage beast. A completely indoctrinated Arab population is almost all terrorist or supporters.
@ Edgar G.:
What Israeli TV is reporting that a USA source has told them we are not presenting a plan as we have had said in the past we will not be forcing anyone to accept our plan. Implying if Abbas calms down and asks the USA to get involved they would. Abbas has said if the USA comes back with his plan as the end state 67 lines, etc., etc., then the USA can present a plan.
However he has gone even further on out on cutting ties with the USA, he has told his people to cut ties even with low level USA employees at the US Consulate. A different Israeli channel said the USA is looking for a different Palestinian intermediary to speak with. I have hear this coming from PA rumors also.
Anyway Abbas plan of getting the USA to bully Israel into concessions unilaterally has completely failed. His plan B or C will NOT work at all. Israel will not cancel Oslo unless a serious intifada or war starts.
@ Edgar G.:
The next public statement by Netanyahu should be that Israel regards the “Oslo Accords” as null and void. THEN… begin preparations for returning to Tunisia all the terrorists and their families and progeny that were allowed to come from there, so that the status will be “ut erat prior”.
Wouldn’t I love to see such an announcement, and preparation, but No Israeli or Jew, would have the courage. Too much Tikkun Olom around. What about Netanyahu’s Cairo speech in 2009. ??…….If Idi Amin were alive I’d elect him an honorary Jew and tell him to take charge of it.
@ Edgar G.:
Sure why would Trump waste time and money on the PA.
This will free Israel to build, build, build and build some more. Nothing standing in the way. No one can claim this is slowing the peace process because there is NO fake peace process any more.
@ Bear Klein:
I also see the announcement on the Arutz front page that Trump will not present his Peace Plan to the Arabs, and has taken it off the table.
So, as I posted earlier on another heading, this takes away the responsibility for Israel to delicately refuse the “Peace Plan” without offending Trump. which, always in the past was done by the Arabs, with no responsibility by Israel.
Because WE don’t want any peace plan which leaves any Arab entity ownership of any of our land, which a peace plan would inevitably contain.
@ Edgar G.:
Agreed NO Pal State west of the Jordan River NO matter the size.
I am totally against ANY kind of Arab Sstate in Eretz Yisrael, whether “mini” or miniscule. They have no sovereign rights in the Land of Israel, and far too much of the original Land has been cut away from us already. We have irrevocable full Sovereign rights to ALL the Land between The River and The Sea. Any Arabs there are entitled ONLY to civil and religious rights. Enough is already long ago far more than ENOUGH.