Which includes all of Israel.
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Posted on 03/07/2005 1:07:07 PM PST by SmithL
Jordan is working behind the scenes with other Arab countries on a contract in which all the Arab countries will make peace with the state of Israel in exchange for an Israeli promise of a viable Palestinian state. The contract will be signed at the upcoming Arab League summit at the end of March.
"We are also trying to re-energize the Arab initiative to extend to Israel a long and deep relationship between Israel and the Arab world so we are very busy behind the scenes," said Jordan's King Abdullah II in an interview with Ehud Yaari on Channel 2 television Monday night.
The 'Arab initiative' will be an upgraded version of the 'Saudi Initiative' – an Arab peace plan inspired by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah and adopted by all members of the Arab League present at the Beirut summit in March 2002, including the former regime of Saddam Hussein.
"We hope that in Algeria you'll get 'Beirut Plus'," said the King. The previous initiative, which Israel dismissed as not being serious, offered Israel security and "normal relations" in exchange for a withdrawal from occupied Arab territories, the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the "return of refugees." Abdullah said that the previous document was "fairly far-reaching."
"If Israelis could go through the document I think they'd realize we really tried to reach out and address all their concerns," said Abdullah. "Even on issues that are very sensitive to the Israeli public – the refugees – it was to an agreed upon solution so that we could give as much flexibility [as possible]."
Abdullah expressed surprise that Israel rejected the offer, but said that maybe the Arabs needed better "articulation." He added that "if there are issues of concern we would be very interested in hearing from the Israelis and be able to add it so that it comes across [in the agreement]."
The Jordanian king's interview, his first with the Israeli media in a long time, comes only 14 days after he sent back an ambassador to Tel-Aviv, signifying the importance Jordan's leader sees in talking to the Israeli public to push the peace process. Jordan has decided that to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict it must get actively involved. Only yesterday the Jordanian Foreign Minister, Hani Mulki, met with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and other top leaders in the Israeli government.
Abdullah plans to achieve that peace soon.
"We don't want to be around ten years from now saying we want peace for our children," said the king dressed in a dapper dark gray suit. "We want peace for ourselves."
To achieve a peace between Israel and the Arab world, Abdulah links the future of the Palestinians.
"The true peace is not to the borders of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria and Egypt," he said. "I think Israel's future is in the Middle East and at the same time a future for the Palestinians."
But he expressed concerns that peace may be torpedoed, in an unspoken reference to the building of the "Security Wall" and the expansion of settlements in the occupied territories.
" If there's going to be a future for the Palestinians, so the Israelis can have a future, there has to be a viable state," he said. "And what I mean by viable is geographic. If you see the way things are moving in the West Bank, in a year or twos time we may not have a viable state to talk about. Does that mean we resign Israelis and Arabs for many more decades of violence and suspicion and hatred?"
Abdullah said peace could be achieved through dialogue.
"At the end of the day, we need to talk to each other," he said. "Any problem, however difficult it can be, can be solved with dialogue."
"If we just reach out to each other and understand that we have to realize what the other side's fears are these problems can be solved. I'm convinced of that."
Things have been moving fast in the ME this year.
If this is a serious offer, I can already hear the wails and gnashing of teeth by the EUros and RATS.
Bush's fault.
Oh wait, this is a good thing....has nothing to do with Bush...nothing!!!
Won't ever happen.
If memory serves me right, that plan called for a return to the 1967 borders, including a return of golan to Syria, and full right of return for all Palestinian refugess.
All of those proposals have been rejected in the past by Israel, so I'm curious to see what is different this time around.
No compromise on Jerusalem.
Smoke, mirrors.
Everyone knows that Iran is gonna nuke Israel as soon as they can.
Costs the arabs nothing to do this if Israel ceases to exist.
"If Israelis could go through the document I think they'd realize we really tried to reach out and address all their concerns," said Abdullah. "Even on issues that are very sensitive to the Israeli public – the refugees – it was to an agreed upon solution so that we could give as much flexibility [as possible]."
Abdullah expressed surprise that Israel rejected the offer, but said that maybe the Arabs needed better "articulation."
These lines say it all. There will be no subtantive changes in the agreement the Arabs put forth and they will simply try to 'explain' their proposal better.
That should make the Israelis change their minds. NOT.
Can't these sheetheads understand they are no longer fooling anyone with their games?
A comprehensive deal is the only thing that should be considered. If a Pallie state is agreed to, every Arab state needs to sign a peace treaty with the Israeli's.
Which includes all of Israel.
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"Normal" to them is isn't exactly ....normal.
The Bush Effect....
"Jordan is working behind the scenes with other Arab countries on a contract in which all the Arab countries will make peace with the state of Israel in exchange for an Israeli promise of a viable Palestinian state. The contract will be signed at the upcoming Arab League summit at the end of March."NO NO NO NO NO Izrael NO!!!MY Good G-D help Izrael good country do know truth!!!I can not write english well I will write NO!!!!This persons do not want Izrael!!!Thank you
Which piece of Isreal are they offering?
If they were serious they'd round up all the terrorists they're harboring in their various countries and kill them.
Recognition from a bunch of losers in exhange for East Jeruselam and unlimited violent clashes because of a 50 year old issue of "right of return". And Abdullah is surprised at the Israeli rejection? I thought Jordan's ruler was a tad smarter...
There will be peace and talk sometime after we cut off all of the enemy supply lines leading to terrorists against Israel.
To Israel: See Mecca / Medina non aggression Treaty for what this really means.
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