Israel-Palestine Analysis: The 2nd Round of Proximity Talks (Yenidunya)

US envoy George Mitchell was in Ramallah on Wednesday and in Israel the next day. During talks with Mitchell, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas said Israeli “provocations” were threatening negotiations.

Following the delivery of several complaint letters to Mitchel, the top negotiator Saeb Erekat added, "We hope that the Americans will obligate the Israelis to stop the provocations, which include invasions, arrests, settlement construction and the creation of new facts on the ground." However, Erekat was still "optimistic", saying, "We hope that in the next four months we can achieve the two-state solution on the 1967 borders."

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Army Radio reported that Israel was preparing gestures for the Palestinians, including removal of roadblocks in the West Bank and release of prisoners. Government sources said that Netanyahu is favorably examining a proposal to expropriate land from Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank to build a road between Ramallah and a new Palestinian town under construction.


Washington, however, seems to be highlighting the priority of security for both sides, even though this breaks the ban on discussion of core issues before direct talks. On Saturday, Mitchell said the first round in Ramallah dealt with borders and security arrangements. He denied earlier reports that Palestinians had agreed to give up more territory  during former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's land swap offer in 2008: Abbas is ready to exchange land with Israel but gaps remain on how much territory is to be traded.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, an opponent of the discussions, presented the Israel Cabinet with a secret report on plans by the Palestinian Authority for global campaign to keep pressure on Israel over settlements. The report says that the Palestinians will seek to use the so-called proximity talks to increase American pressure on Israel so the freeze on settlement construction will continue, including East Jerusalem if possible. It allegedly continues, "In our assessment, the Palestinians will not reveal any area of flexibility, especially not on issues of borders and territory exchanges, because in their view the Israeli government is not genuinely interested in carrying out effective negotiations."

The report supposedly claimed the Palestinians would seek to persuade Washington, in the United Nations Security Council, not to veto a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Comments

[Bill Davit]

Ali,

While I believe the following is good: "We hope that in the next four months we can achieve the two-state solution on the 1967 borders.” the question I have is will it be honored by the Palestinians. I'm reminded of the time Arafat was critiqued over the olso accords and said something to the effect of "this is not the Islamic solution we want" alluding to the fact they still want all of Israel. Gaza is perfect example in which Israel let it go and the violence actual got worse. So my question is will the Palestinians every agree for a "permanent" peace with Israel despite the fact Islam demands they liberate it all regardless of the historical claim to Israel the Jews have?

Thx
Bill

[Ali Yenidunya]

Bill, I understand your concern. I believe that any agreement imposed on Palestinians and any unilateral attempt such as Sharon's 2005 plan, does have no chance. However, what worries me is that there is not a single Palestinian unit representing Palestinians as a whole. First, Palestinians need to reunite and then as long as talks with Israelis can produce a formal agreement rather than joint formulations and understandings, then here we have a strong peace...

[Bill Davit]

Ali,

Thanks for your response. Like you I believe the Palestinians do need to unite then we can have real constructive talks towards a peace settlement. Until then if one side agrees and the other does not we will have violence. The Hamas Fatah seperation is a perfect case to point to.

Thx
Bill