Israel open to 1967 border formula for Palestine talks

[The Straight Story]

Source: Reuters

Israel has agreed to a proposed formula for new peace talks with the Palestinians under which the border of their future state would be along the lines that existed before the 1967 Middle East war, but with agreed land swaps, an Israeli official said on Thursday.

The official said that, were the Palestinians to accept the formula, it would be announced by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who would also describe the future Palestine existing alongside a "Jewish state" of Israel.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/18/us-palestinians-israel-formula-idUSBRE96H0CN20130718

[dipsydoodle]

1. What's to swop ?

The pre 1967 border defines the border - its the Green Line.

[Sunlei]

2. a couple years ago, both sides agreed to some land swaps. several have been done.

[oberliner]

4. Have you heard of the Geneva Initiative?

The Geneva Initiative addresses and presents a comprehensive solution to all issues vital to ensuring the end of the conflict and the realization of the national visions of both parties. It would give the Palestinians almost all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip drawing Israel's borders close to what existed prior to the Israeli annexation of territory at the culmination of the 1967 war.
The plan has much similarity with the 2000 Camp David Summit and Taba Summit proposals; and Olmert's 2008 Napkin map. Only settlements along the Green Line would be annexed by Israel with mutual land swaps, including Ma'ale Adumim, Pisgat Ze'ev and Giv'at Ze'ev. In the Geneva Initiative, Ariel would be dismantled and the Palestinians be given more sovereignty over East Jerusalem. Jerusalem would be divided administratively, with East Jerusalem ("Al-Quds&quot serving as the capital of the Palestinian state and West Jerusalem ("Yerushalayim&quot as the capital of Israel. A Multinational Force would play an important role. In return for removing most of the Israeli settlements, the Palestinians would limit their "right of return" of refugees to Israel to a number specified by the Israeli government and will put an end to any further claims and demands from Israel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Accord_(2003)

[harrose]

9. Probably the Temple Mount, for starters...

... considering the fact that, under Jordanian rule, Jews were not allowed to visit the Western Wall or the Temple Mount, I don't see Israel allowing it to end up in Palestinian hands.

[another_liberal]

3. If I'm dreaming . . .

This is exceptionally good news! What a breakthrough, and it comes at a time when no one thought progress was likely. Kerry has done the impossible. If this deal moves forward, our Secretary of State will have an appointment in Stockholm soon.

If I'm just dreaming, please don't wake me.

[oberliner]

5. Netanyahu spokesman denies Israel agreed to 1967 border formula

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied on Tuesday an official's remarks that Israel had agreed to resume peace talks based on the borders of a Palestinian state being drawn along lines from before a 1967 Middle East war, and agreed land swaps.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/18/us-palestinians-israel-formula-idUSBRE96H0CN20130718

Sadly, this may have been too good to be true.

[John2]

7. That is where

the U.S. should use their powers as a Super Power, along with Britain,France,China and Russia. The Powers that won World War II, should dictate the solution. They shouldn't have let any side dictate the solution by arming one side over the other. If those Powers worked together, they still have the power to dictate the solution on both sides. They shouldn't favor one side over the other. They have it within their powers to force a solution over Netanyahu's objections. I would do that if I was the United States. I wouldn't let him drive anything. My entire basis is Israel would have never existed without the help of the United States in the first place after World War II. So Israel has always been the U.S. problem when President Truman wanted to help dislocate Jews of the Holocaust establish a homeland. That is why we feel obligated to their security. It was originally the Palestinian Mandate from the start, before both sides went to War. The U.N. should have never allowed one side to declare an Independent state, until all sides agreed.

[another_liberal]

6. I was dreaming.

(sigh)

[jzodda]

8. This is good news!

I am not too optimistic however, only because we have heard all this again and again.

Every few years the same story and then nothing.