Posted on 03/27/2007 6:41:14 PM PDT by blam
Accept peace plan or face war, Israel told
By David Blair, in Riyadh
Last Updated: 1:38am BST 28/03/2007
The "lords of war" will decide Israel's future if it rejects a blueprint for peace crafted by the entire Arab world, Saudi Arabia's veteran foreign minister warned yesterday.
As leaders began gathering in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, for today's summit of the Arab League, Prince Saud al-Faisal told The Daily Telegraph that the Middle East risks perpetual conflict if the peace plan fails.
Saudi foreign minister Prince Saudi al-Faisal, right, and Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League
Under this Saudi-drafted proposal, every Arab country would formally recognise Israel in return for a withdrawal from all the land captured in the war of 1967.
This would entail a Palestinian state embracing the entire West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital. Every Arab country will almost certainly endorse this blueprint when the Riyadh summit concludes tomorrow. Prince Saud said Israel should accept or reject this final offer.
"What we have the power to do in the Arab world, we think we have done," he said. "So now it is up to the other side because if you want peace, it is not enough for one side only to want it. Both sides must want it equally."
Speaking inside his whitewashed palace, surrounded by luxuriant lawns and manicured flower beds resembling a green oasis in the drabness of Riyadh, Prince Saud delivered an unequivocal warning to Israel.
"If Israel refuses, that means it doesn't want peace and it places everything back into the hands of fate. They will be putting their future not in the hands of the peacemakers but in the hands of the lords of war," he said.
Prince Saud dismissed any further diplomatic overtures towards Israel. "It has never been proven that reaching out to Israel achieves anything," he said.
"Other Arab countries have recognised Israel and what has that achieved?
"The largest Arab country, Egypt, recognised Israel and what was the result? Not one iota of change happened in the attitude of Israel towards peace."
Israel has numerous reservations about the Arab peace plan - which was previously proposed at a summit in 2002. Israel fears any hint that Palestinian refugees would have the right to return to their homes in the event of a peace settlement.
Prince Saud is the 66-year-old son of the late King Faisal. Relieved of the need to seek re-election, he has held office for 32 years.
Flush with oil money, Saudi Arabia is playing a more assertive role in Middle Eastern diplomacy. As well as securing the Arab peace plan, the Kingdom brokered the agreement between Hamas and Fatah - the two Palestinian factions - to form a unity government.
But western diplomats in Riyadh believe this resurgence in Saudi diplomacy stems from more than the kingdom's oil boom.
The menacing spectre of Iran, the rising Shia power with nuclear-tipped ambitions for regional dominance, looms large across the waters of the Gulf.
Saudi Arabia is quietly moving to contain its bellicose neighbour. Prince Saud offered conciliatory words to Iran, laced with coded criticism. "We have no inhibitions about the role of Iran," he said. "It is a large country. It wants to play a leading role in the region, and it has every right to do so. It is an historic country. But if you want to reach for leadership, you have to make sure that those you are leading are having their interests taken care of and not damaged."
Saudi Arabia has privately urged Iran to stop enriching uranium, in compliance with United Nations resolutions and lay to rest any suggestion that it is seeking nuclear weapons. Prince Saud called for a "Middle East free of nuclear weapons" with "no exceptions for anybody, be it Israel or Iran".
Asked whether the kingdom would consider seeking nuclear weapons of its own if Iran managed to acquire a bomb, Prince Saud replied: "We have made it very clear that we are not going down that road under any circumstances."
He paused for a moment, before adding, "under any foreseeable circumstances".
Okay Riyadh, you just made the list!
Because they have not yet accepted the idea of national suicide? What a ridiculous statement.
Genesis 12:3 I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee!
Is their future if they do not change their way!
Hmmmm... why not do that right now?
A combined Arab/Muslim armies against Israel right now, who do you think will win?
Israel should not give one inch of land, ever.
Ya know you would think educated folk especially our leaders of this nation who have read The Bible would be very, very, cautious about trying to cram any sorta peace treaties down Israels throat. They should be especially cautious acting on behalf of her enemies.
Of course many of us understand that by such means will Israel be betrayed by the world and her final battle fought and won by HE who will not fail on Israels very land.
The Saudi plan for peace with Israel is NO Israel in the middle east.You can almost Guarantee that The Arabs will attack as soon as they feel Israel is sleeping.
After all they have done this once before and the Israeli's had to kick their butts at a very high cost.
This Saudi proposal is pure garbage. Do they really think the world is so stupid? The Saudi premise is that Arabs want peace and that Israel is the problem. It's the other way around, always has been and always will be. Proof?
Arabs have for several generations indoctrinated their populace to hate and kill Jews. We're fighting yesterday's generations today. Tomorrow we'll be fighting todays generation indoctrinated with hate and death wishes.
There will be no peace in the middle east until every leader of every arab nation is dead and gone and peace loving leaders put in their place. But wait...there is still an Arab population of rabid haters so it's probably too late.
I see not one word about the "right of return" guff. That is a conspicuous omission.
I have to tell myself that the Saudis are making a public face saving gesture and there are some significant hidden deals here. I can't believe that the Saudis are this stupid. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is incredibly stupid.
They attacked, they lost, and they lost land. You do not give back anything they have lost, EVER. If Israel does, they have caved and shown a weakness that will be exploited.
He watching over Israel slumbers not,
nor sleeps.
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