Middle East Features
By Pakinam Amer
Mar 29, 2007, 19:07 GMT
Riyadh - Renewing faith in the Saudi-proposed land-for-peace initiative, Arab leaders ended their two-day summit on Thursday with a warning to their 'peace partner' Israel that hopes of a violence- free region would collapse if Tel Aviv rejects their 'extended hand.'
The ball is in Israel's court now: that was the message that Arab leaders strongly sent not only to the Jewish state but also to the international community and Israeli allies.
'The Israeli and Palestinian peace dream could be achieved if good intentions and a sheer will are present,' Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told official delegations. Discussions continued Thursday in Riyadh.
Abbas said Arabs are ready to 'double the efforts' in order to initiate a 'balanced and fair peace process' but gave a warning that 'putting off' action and 'wasting time' will only endanger the region with 'wars.'
The leaders agreed to relaunch the 2002 Arab initiative, promising full normalization with Israel and Arab recognition of the Jewish state in return for a full Israeli pull out from the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, including Jerusalem, and a withdrawal from the Golan Heights in Syria and some territories in southern Lebanon.
The proposal also includes terms that would guarantee the right of return to thousand of Palestinian refugees stranded in poor conditions across hosting Arab countries.
The Arab leaders collectively cheered the ambitious land-for-peace deal, regarding it as an extended hand of peace to Israel.
But the Arab leadership seemed anxious and perturbed over the anticipated Israeli response to the deal. Remarks by most of them, according to independent observers, betrayed doubt that Israel will accept the terms of this deal.
'There is no response from Israel so far,' Arab League Chief Amr Moussa told reporters Thursday. 'Israel wants normalization only, they do not want negotiations.'
Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, said the time frame for the offer depended on Israel and its readiness to directly negotiate, but also indicated no other arrangements would be considered.
'When Israel returns the rights of the Palestinians, Arab states will be ready to sign a peace deal with Israel,' the minister said. '
'If this happens next year,' the peace deal will be signed next year, he said. 'It is not feasible that Israel would replace this deal with another.'
Moussa repeated that the Arabic position was that normalization would 'not be for free.'
Ismail Haniyeh, Palestinian premier, said the summit showed that the problem 'is not with the Arabs or the Palestinians. It is the problem of the Israelis.'
'They refuse to have a discussion on the Arab initiatives and refuse to recognize the legitimate right of return of the Palestinian people,' he said.
Saeb Erakat, senior Palestinian negotiator, earlier charged that Israel was trying to 'block' the channels that had been opened from the Palestinian side.
The Arab League intends to submit its offer to the United Nations and international community as a framework of action, discussion and negotiation.
'We are the most keen when it comes to international laws, (because) we are the side which paid the highest price. We suffered and we still (suffer) from isolation, massacres and prisons,' said Abbas.
An Arab committee, headed by Saudi leadership, would be formed to follow up and engage with the Mideast Quartet - Russia, the US, the United Nations and European Union - which have laid out a roadmap for peace that includes a two-state solution.
The Arab committee is expected to include 13 countries, including Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, who will be negotiating directly with Israel.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told Arab leaders Wednesday that 'the Arab peace initiative is one of the pillars of the peace process.'
'When I was in Israel, I urged my Israeli friends to take a fresh look,' he said.
Local commentators reflected the reproach for Israel shown by leaders at the summit. In a Saudi newspaper, an analysis expressed concern that Israel would feel threatened by the Arabs' so-called 'show of strength' and apparent unified message.
In a newspaper comic strip, a large hand tagged 'Arab summit' held out a white dove in a peace overture toward another hand bearing the Jewish Star of David, clenched in a fist.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur
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Link(s): http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/features/article_1284637.php/Arab_leaders_cautious_on_Arab-Israeli_negotiations
http://www.eux.tv/article.aspx?articleId=5644
http://www.neurope.eu/view_news.php?id=72153
http://rawstory.com/news/dpa/Arab_leaders_cautious_on_Arab_Israe_03292007.html
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