Posted on 12/04/2006 12:40:28 PM PST by Sabramerican
THE Saudi Arabian government is emerging as a key player in talks to broker a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace agreement.
According to senior Israeli sources, Ehud Olmert, Israel’s prime minister, will soon meet high-ranking Saudi officials to explore the formation of a group of moderate Arab countries to negotiate with Tel Aviv over the future of the Middle East.
A preliminary meeting between Olmert and a leading Saudi representative took place in Amman, the Jordanian capital, at the end of September. According to Israeli sources, the Saudi was Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former ambassador to Washington and one of the closest advisers to King Abdullah, the Saudi ruler.
Olmert is believed to be considering a Saudi initiative, endorsed by the Arab League four years ago, as the basis for a peace settlement.
This would include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and could lead to a formal peace deal between Israel and seven Arab countries: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, the Emirates, Morocco and Tunisia.
Olmert promised the Palestinians their own state last week in a conciliatory speech that he was said to have written himself.
Condoleezza Rice, the American secretary of state, praised the speech and her officials welcomed it as a promising sign that “a regional peace dialogue may be resumed”.
However, an Israeli insider said: “The truth is that it was not Olmert’s own initiative but a dictate given to him last month when he met George W Bush and Condoleezza Rice in Washington.”
An Arab source said: “The Saudis wanted to see Olmert commit publicly to what he promised Prince Bandar at the secret meeting in Amman.”
According to Israeli officials, Saudi Arabia is gradually taking over the role of principal peace broker previously played by Egypt.
Saudi influence is seen as invaluable, particularly as the country has funded many Arab causes. Hamas, the militant group that won Palestinian elections last January, was established with Saudi money; and the Palestinian Authority would have collapsed long ago without Saudi funding.
Olmert, his reputation damaged by this summer’s war in Lebanon, is looking for a dramatic initiative to restore his image at home.
Stomping:
"Condoleezza Rice, the American secretary of state, praised the speech and her officials welcomed it as a promising sign that “a regional peace dialogue may be resumed”.
However, an Israeli insider said: “The truth is that it was not Olmert’s own initiative but a dictate given to him last month when he met George W Bush and Condoleezza Rice in Washington.”
I suggest he publicly apologise, then resign. I know I'd think better of him then.
It would take some balls which muslim governments have never had.
Let me start by saying if this is true then the President should be ashamed of himself. If not, and Olmert is doing this of his own volition, then Olmert should be ashamed of himself.
Either way, somebody sure better be feeling ashamed.
With the growing power of the Shea's, non Shea governments in the region are looking to strengthen there power and influence in the region and solving the crisis would give the Saudis uber prestige and power. I think you are going to see the emergence of an uneasy alliance at least a truce between Israel and non Shea governments in the region. They are not stupid, after all they know if Iran succeeds in "wiping Israel off the map" it will be the regional superpower and look elsewhere for scapegoating and domination like say oil rich Wahabi ran Saudi Arabia.
More and more I feel like I'm living in September 1938.
You misunderstand the situation .....see my post 10 above.
Interesting, and well thought out. I just have such a hard time believing any coalition of Muslim countries will accept Israel as a "member" for very long.
Donuts to dollars the "peace proposal" includes the "Palestinian" "right" of "return," surrendering the Golan, or at least one other deal-killer.
The Gulf Cooperation Council is just such a coalition and is 25 years old!!
The present members are Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain ,Qater, UAE, and Oman. They dropped all trade barriers, permit passage of member citizens across borders and have massive fianncial ability. (not money or assets, but raw financial ability)
The port of Dubai is the best in the world and is rapidly growing as a commercial and trade center.
Rush announced today that Tiger Woods' first golf course and related resort and real estate venture will be in Dubai.
The war in Iraq, a continuation of the 91 Gulf war is largely being fought to allow these nations to grow and prosper. We are their ally, trading pardner and oil market.
They die, we become very sick.
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These countries have been part of the problem. As one said, they refused to take the troublemakers in and they used their plight as a way to direct attention away from their own problems. Hapless Bush and Rice have been whipping them into shape, apparently. I know we insisted that Saudia edit the hate out of their textbooks under penalty of sanctions and Rice met with them last week, but it got zero coverage by the Lame Brain Media.
Thomas P.M. Barnett could not have said it better.
The United States is not the world's policeman. But it is the leading marketer of Security.
A trading bloc agreement that included Israel would do much to deflate the aggressive posturing of the rent-a-Muslim-mob actions of Iran and Syria.
Cooling the stoked fires in Lebanon, and putting economic pressure on Syria would leave Iran alone again. A convincing threat to close the Persian Gulf to Iranian oil shipments would be as effective against them as their threatened nuclear weapons against anyone else.
Now we are two...... :)
Same Scheiss, Different Day
The "Saudi Peace Initiative" first revealed to Über-Dhimmi Thomas Friedman, consists of these surrender terms:
1. Israel retreats from all territories captured during the 1967 war, including all of Jerusalem and the Western Wall, and ethnically cleanses 300,000 "settlers" from "Arab" land.
2. Israel grants a "Right of Return" to millions of Palestinians and their descendants into Israel.
3. Arabs agree to....do nothing.
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