Arab League calls on U.S. to keep up efforts to salvage peace talks

[Jefferson23]

Arab foreign ministers blame Israel for peace talks crisis, renew $100 million in aid to Palestinian Authority.

By The Associated Press | Apr. 9, 2014

The Arab League called on the United States on Wednesday to keep up efforts to salvage Middle East peace talks that are on the brink of collapse, blaming Israel for a crisis that has led Washington to evaluate its role in the negotiations.

At a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, the Arab League said Israel was responsible for the "serious predicament" facing the negotiations, citing its failure to release about two dozen Palestinian prisoners as one of the major causes.

&quot The ministers) called on America to continue its efforts for the resumption of the negotiation track that obliges Israel to implement its commitments ... according to the agreed time frame," a League statement said.

Meanwhile, the Arab foreign ministers renewed their commitment to give $100 million in monthly aid to the government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.584825

[azurnoir]

1. according to the agreed time frame well I'm not sure what can be accomplished in 20 days

the time left in the agreed to time frame

[Jefferson23]

2. You're right, that time frame is limited and worrisome.

We don't know if the Arab League will support their UN initiatives or not.
They want the US still involved..hmm. What is positioning, what is bullshit, what may be smart PR,
too soon to say. Looks like they have a promise on the money, but nothing stated for how long.

[azurnoir]

3. suffice it to say IMO

It's a very diplomatic statement

[Jefferson23]

4. Yep, can't argue with that. n/t

[Jefferson23]

5. Abbas says willing to extend peace talks past April 29

The president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, expressed on Thursday his willingness to extend peace talks with Israel past the end of April on "the basis that the fundamentals bring to the founding of a Palestinian state whose capital is east Jerusalem."

In an interview with the London based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, Abbas said that his application to join 15 international bodies and treaties was in the interest of the Palestinian people and had nothing to do with Israel.


Abbas added that he updated the Arab league foreign ministers about recent developments in the peace talks on Wednesday in Cairo.

In the meeting with the foreign ministers, Abbas also laid out how he envisioned how the negotiations with Israel should continue.

Abbas appealed to the Arab League to fulfill it's promise, initially made during the Arab League Summit in Kuwait, to provide financial assistance to the PA totaling $150 million monthly.

The PA president also urged the leaders to continue to support him in refusing the recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

The Arab League foreign ministers agreed to support the peace talks past their April 29 deadline and called upon Israel to release the fourth round of prisoners.

http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Abbas-says-willing-to-extend-peace-talks-348129