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Israel Ready To Consider Saudi Peace Plan

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(AP) Israeli leaders are seriously considering a dormant Saudi plan offering a comprehensive peace between Israel and the Arab world in exchange for lands captured during the 1967 war, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Sunday.

Barak said it may be time to pursue an overall peace deal for the region since individual negotiations with Syria and the Palestinians have made little progress.

Barak said he has discussed the Saudi plan with Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni, who is in the process of forming a new Israeli government, and that Israel is considering a response.

Saudi Arabia first proposed the peace initiative in 2002, offering pan-Arab recognition of Israel in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from Arab lands captured in 1967 - the West Bank, Gaza Strip, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.

The 22-member Arab League endorsed the plan last year.

Israel has said the plan is a good basis for discussion, but expressed some reservations.

"There is definitely room to introduce a comprehensive Israeli plan to counter the Saudi plan that would be the basis for a discussion on overall regional peace," Barak told Israel's Army Radio.

He noted the "deep, joint interest" with moderate Arab leaders in containing Iran's nuclear ambitions and limiting the influence of the radical Islamic Hezbollah movement in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

Analyst Ghassan Khatib, a former minister in the Palestinian Cabinet, said interest in the plan was "a little bit late" but welcome.

"I strongly believe that the Arab initiative is the best approach to peace between the Arabs and the Israelis," he said. "It fulfills all the legitimate objectives of Israel and those of the Palestinians and at the same time it has this regional dimension and it reflects one of the rare issues on which Arabs have consensus."

While Israel's outgoing prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has welcomed the Saudi plan, he and other leaders want to keep small parts of the territories captured in 1967. Israel also objects to language that appears to endorse a large-scale return of Palestinian refugees to lands inside Israel. Israel says a massive influx of Palestinians would destroy the country's Jewish character.

Yuval Steinitz, an Israeli lawmaker from the conservative opposition Likud Party and a member of parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said that for Israel the Saudi plan is a nonstarter and called Barak's remarks "an empty political gesture."

"It doesn't recognize Israel's right to defensible borders...(and) demands Palestinian refugees settle in the Jewish state as well as the Palestinian state, which is totally unacceptable," he said.

Israel's ceremonial president, Shimon Peres, proposed putting Israel's various peace talks on one track last month at the United Nations, calling on Saudi King Abdullah to "further his initiative." He has since been pushing the idea in meetings with Israeli, Arab and Western officials, his office said.

While Peres has no formal role in Israeli foreign policy, he is a Nobel peace laureate and well respected in the international community.

In Sunday's interview, Barak said he was in full agreement with Peres.

"I had the impression that there is indeed an openness to explore any path, including this one," he said of his talks with Livni.

Barak, who leads the Labor Party, is expected to play a senior role in the next administration.

Livni's office refused to comment on her talks with Barak.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat noted that pursuing the Saudi peace initiative did not necessarily undermine the direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians and he encouraged Israel to pursue this track.

"I think Israel should have done this since 2002. It is the most strategic initiative that came from the Arab world since 1948," he said. "I urge them to revisit this initiative and to go with it because it will shorten the way to peace."
 
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Many of these Arab States do not even recognise Israel. How are they supposed to make peace with a nation they don't recognise?

Israel has made peace with Egypt, once Israel's greatest enemy, when Egypt recognised Israel. Israel also returned the Sinai to Egypt.

Israel is also in very good terms with Turkey, another muslim majority nation which has recognised israel.
 
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Many of these Arab States do not even recognise Israel. How are they supposed to make peace with a nation they don't recognise?

Israel has made peace with Egypt, once Israel's greatest enemy, when Egypt recognised Israel. Israel also returned the Sinai to Egypt.

Israel is also in very good terms with Turkey, another muslim majority nation which has recognised israel.

I am in full support for a permanent peace between Israel and the Arabs. Although, I am not expecting much out of this plan, but it is a step in the right direction.

I think the recognition is not that important, most important is that both sides are sincere about concluding a peace plan. The recognition could come on the same day as the signing of peace should it be reached.

The Egyptians are smart and have thought it through. They know that having a constant enemy which she could not defeat would bring no benefits to herself. After reconizing this fact, they offered peace and recognition. In return, they get the Sinai back. Everyones happy.
 
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Their should be peace in Middle east. I say Pakistan, if required, should play a role in this peace process. Even if requires a direct negotiation with Israeli leaders.

I personally think that Israel is not going to make this plan successfull. Religious reasons!!!!

KIT
 
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Their should be peace in Middle east. I say Pakistan, if required, should play a role in this peace process. Even if requires a direct negotiation with Israeli leaders.

I personally think that Israel is not going to make this plan successfull. Religious reasons!!!!

KIT
I think Pakistan should stay away from the hell called Middle East.:coffee:
 
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Signs of tensions are starting to show up within Israel itself. There are some down to earth people in the Govt who realise they cant stay enemies with Arabs forever, especially not as Americas influence over the world is now uncertain. Then there are the ultra Zionists who want to pursue a 'Greater Israel', something which looks like this:
0a9eb638bff154b78ea0ed5b3fbc04db.gif


These ultra Zionists are the same people controlling the Jewish lobby in America and Europe. So we might see people struggling for power within Israel itself to achieve their goals. One thing is for sure, Zionists will never accept a Palestinian state, since they would have to give up land and settlements.
 
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Israel defeated Arab army in 1967 and 1973 wars due to better war stretegy and american high tech arms .

That's right, just like Taliban's better arms like the AK-47 and RPG-7s, otherwise, they would be using sticks and stones. :)

American and other Western power are welaware that palestine is main root cause of international terrorism.

Actually, Taliban are the root cause of international terrorism. We need to find their leader. I forgot his name, I believe it ends with 66. :)

That is the reason now they are seriously thinking for give and take stretegy and want to resolve it.

It's good for the ME region.
 
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(AP) Israeli leaders are seriously considering a dormant Saudi plan offering a comprehensive peace between Israel and the Arab world in exchange for lands captured during the 1967 war, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Sunday.

Barak said it may be time to pursue an overall peace deal for the region since individual negotiations with Syria and the Palestinians have made little progress.

Barak said he has discussed the Saudi plan with Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni, who is in the process of forming a new Israeli government, and that Israel is considering a response.

Saudi Arabia first proposed the peace initiative in 2002, offering pan-Arab recognition of Israel in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from Arab lands captured in 1967 - the West Bank, Gaza Strip, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.

The 22-member Arab League endorsed the plan last year.

Israel has said the plan is a good basis for discussion, but expressed some reservations.

"There is definitely room to introduce a comprehensive Israeli plan to counter the Saudi plan that would be the basis for a discussion on overall regional peace," Barak told Israel's Army Radio.

He noted the "deep, joint interest" with moderate Arab leaders in containing Iran's nuclear ambitions and limiting the influence of the radical Islamic Hezbollah movement in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

Analyst Ghassan Khatib, a former minister in the Palestinian Cabinet, said interest in the plan was "a little bit late" but welcome.

"I strongly believe that the Arab initiative is the best approach to peace between the Arabs and the Israelis," he said. "It fulfills all the legitimate objectives of Israel and those of the Palestinians and at the same time it has this regional dimension and it reflects one of the rare issues on which Arabs have consensus."

While Israel's outgoing prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has welcomed the Saudi plan, he and other leaders want to keep small parts of the territories captured in 1967. Israel also objects to language that appears to endorse a large-scale return of Palestinian refugees to lands inside Israel. Israel says a massive influx of Palestinians would destroy the country's Jewish character.

Yuval Steinitz, an Israeli lawmaker from the conservative opposition Likud Party and a member of parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said that for Israel the Saudi plan is a nonstarter and called Barak's remarks "an empty political gesture."

"It doesn't recognize Israel's right to defensible borders...(and) demands Palestinian refugees settle in the Jewish state as well as the Palestinian state, which is totally unacceptable," he said.

Israel's ceremonial president, Shimon Peres, proposed putting Israel's various peace talks on one track last month at the United Nations, calling on Saudi King Abdullah to "further his initiative." He has since been pushing the idea in meetings with Israeli, Arab and Western officials, his office said.

While Peres has no formal role in Israeli foreign policy, he is a Nobel peace laureate and well respected in the international community.

In Sunday's interview, Barak said he was in full agreement with Peres.

"I had the impression that there is indeed an openness to explore any path, including this one," he said of his talks with Livni.

Barak, who leads the Labor Party, is expected to play a senior role in the next administration.

Livni's office refused to comment on her talks with Barak.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat noted that pursuing the Saudi peace initiative did not necessarily undermine the direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians and he encouraged Israel to pursue this track.

"I think Israel should have done this since 2002. It is the most strategic initiative that came from the Arab world since 1948," he said. "I urge them to revisit this initiative and to go with it because it will shorten the way to peace."

I believe this is nothing/// kashmir palestine... the lands will remain occupied and there is nothing to stop Israel and India
 
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Israel defeated Arab army in 1967 and 1973 wars due to better war stretegy and american high tech arms .

I agree with strategy but not superior American arms.

World War 2 era M4 Shermans upgunned by the Israelis were taking out newer Soviet supplied T54/T55s that the Syrians were using.

The superior training of the Israelis makes them a force to be reckoned with.
 
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Israel will use the Saudi proposal to their full advantage while making a mockery of the situation. It's happened too many times before, I expect to see an Israeli counter-offer in the coming months to half year. I expect them to never give up East Jerusalem, though Egypt might get Sinai because it is strategically not so important any more. The biggest question is about the Palestinians and their diaspora, and many times before Israel has shown very little interest in a 2 state solution due to land/border/security issues even though it acts like it wants to achieve that in the future.

What the future holds is anything but peace in this region. Since 1948 Israel has terrorized the Palestinians, they could care less about other Arab states recognizing them, when the true powers of the earth give them their full fledged support. They are in a position to thwart the Arabs militarily, so politically I think they might be less inclined to do anything in a timely manner.
 
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