Israeli officials offer tepid response to Arab League bid to jumpstart peace talks

[azurnoir]

Senior Israeli officials on Tuesday gave a tepid response to the remarks made by delegates of the Arab League, who have apparently softened their stance on Israel's final borders.

While the Israeli officials praised what they called "encouragement" being directed at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to renew negotiations, they rejected the idea that such negotiations would be based on 1967 borders, with land-swaps.

"Israel welcomes the encouragement by Arab League delegates and Secretary of State John Kerry to rekindle diplomatic efforts," officials said. "As is well known, Israel is prepared to commence negotiations at any time, and in any place, without any preconditions, and expects the Palestinians to also refrain from presenting such conditions. The sides' positions can be presented during negotiations, when they commence.

A late night meeting took place Monday night between foreign ministers on the Arab League's' tracking committee, Kerry, and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israeli-officials-offer-tepid-response-to-arab-league-bid-to-jumpstart-peace-talks.premium-1.518473?localLinksEnabled=false

[Jefferson23]

1. Rejected the idea...what else is new? n/t

[Alamuti Lotus]

2. I am entertained by this only on the grounds that the Saudi Arab League was humiliated again

the Gulf dictators prostrate themselves before the US/Israel and offer their continued capitulation...........only to be yawned at. That's high quality entertainment right there.

[bemildred]

3. Well, I for one appreciate all the welcoming and encouragement anyway.

[oberliner]

4. The Arab League

So many of these esteemed unelected despots have fallen since the original "peace" proposal they put forward.

[azurnoir]

5. Yes however it appears their successors have picked up the gauntlet so to speak

and are resubmitting the plan with a modification or softening of the land requirements

[bemildred]

6. The Arab despots are in a funny position, they like the I/P status quo.

It's a great political red herring when reform at home comes up, so they don't really want the problem solved, but they also don't want it to escalate into any sort of real conflict, since they are not competitive militarily and will be the first to go if the many and various low-level wars in the Middle East go hot, since they are sitting on buckets of fuel for all those weapons systems that just gulp it down by the swimming-poolful.

Edit: I imagine what is going on in Syria right now has them totally freaked out, and rightly so.

[Scootaloo]

8. Maybe Oberliner missed that the article is from two days ago?

Not that he probably cares.

[Jefferson23]

7. Source: Netanyahu worried Kerry drifting toward Arab League stance on two-state solution

The Arab League declared it will allow small shifts in Israel's 1967 border as part of its Mideast peace plan.
By Barak Ravid and Jack Khoury | May.02, 2013 | 3:00 AM


AP
The Arab League leaders led by Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al-Thani, from fourth from left, with Secretary of State John Kerry Photo by AP

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his aides fear that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will accept the Arab League definition of the borders for a Palestinian state and the principle of territorial exchanges.

Netanyahu and his advisers believe the Arab League declaration could undermine Israel’s position in negotiations with the Palestinians, according to an Israeli source familiar with talks held in the past two days.

On Monday, the Arab League endorsed a Mideast peace plan that would allow for small shifts in Israel’s 1967 border, moving it closer to the two-state concept endorsed by U.S. President Barack Obama.

“The prime minister’s advisers are not keen about the Arab League’s announcement,” the source said. “Netanyahu and his advisers believe it would have been better had this announcement not been made.”

The source said that while the aides acknowledge positive parts of the Arab League’s announcement, such as the desire to renew the peace process, they see more disadvantages in it than opportunities.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/source-netanyahu-worried-kerry-drifting-toward-arab-league-stance-on-two-state-solution.premium-1.518705