Posted on 01/21/2010 5:24:30 AM PST by SJackson
Palestinians stressed over Mitchell visit
US special envoy to Middle East arriving in Israel, PA Wednesday night. Palestinians fear Mitchell may pressure leadership to drop precondition of settlement freeze and return to negotiations table
US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell is on his way to the region, and the Palestinians are feeling the pressure.
Palestinian sources on Wednesday said that recent talks with American and international sources have shown that the international community does not want the Palestinians to condition the renewal of peace talks on a settlement construction freeze as has been the case so far.
The sources said that the international community was examining the possibility of granting the Palestinians an economic incentive package to encourage them to return to the negotiations table.
Palestinian sources added, "The Americans are looking to provide our leaders with a ladder to get down from the tree they are in, and want us to return to talks, especially in light of the fact that Israel has declared a settlement freeze, and especially in light of the fact that negotiations over the basic principles of the peace process are already being held between us and the Americans and between the Americans and the Israelis."
The sources estimated that if an economic conference for the Palestinians is announced, and if the Palestinians receive a guarantee from the Americans as to the details of a permanent settlement, they may bend on their stance and return to the negotiations table.
In this context, Fatah bodies and the movement's revolutionary council are slated to stand by their position that talks cannot be renewed without a full freeze in settlement construction. But according to the sources, this position will have no impact if the Palestinians get a letter of guarantees from the Americans – a move which Israel opposes.
Either way, the sources say, the end of January is expected to be a critical period. The sources believe that the renewal of peace talks may be announced during Mitchell's visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Meanwhile, the American envoy arrived in Beirut on Tuesday for a two-day visit in Lebanon. Mitchell is slated to travel to Syria, before arriving in Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
During the Beirut visit, Lebanese leaders are slated to reiterate to Mitchell their position on resuming talks with Israel, according to which the IDF must first withdraw from the village of Ghajar, the Shebaa farms and the village of Shuba. The sources will also stress Lebanon's refusal to settle the Palestinian refugees in its borders, and state that Beirut is committed to the Arab peace initiative.
Mitchell's visit comes parallel to Hezbollah parliament member Hassan Fadlallah's statement on Tuesday that "the repeated visits of American representatives in Lebanon are damaging to the country and show that the US has no influence."
==================================================
Rajoub: “US Threatened Fateh of Boycott Should It Reconcile With Hamas”
Rajoub: “US Threatened Fateh of Boycott Should It Reconcile With Hamas” Thursday January 21, 2010 06:05 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News www.imemc.org/index.php?obj_id=53&story_id=57705
Deputy-head of the Central Committee of Fateh movement, Jibril Rajoub, stated that the movement and its presidents, Mahmoud Abbas, were threatened on boycott by the United States should they achieve reconciliation with the rival Hamas movement.
The statements of Rajoub came during an interview with the Al Sabah Tunisian Newspaper.
The former head of the Preventive Security Forces in the West Bank added that during unity talks with Hamas, Fateh movement was threatened by several United States officials who said that signing a deal with Hamas would lead to a siege on Fateh and its Authority in the West Bank.
He also called for a larger Turkish role in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
Rajoub further stated that when Egypt proposed reconciliation and talk between Fateh and Hamas, his movement, despite some reservations on the Egyptian proposals, approved holding talks with Hamas but as the talks where ongoing under Egyptian mediation, the United States threatened to boycott Fateh.
He added that the movement decided to accept the Egyptian proposals and to reject the “provocative American pressures and threats”.
“We are still willing to hold talks with Hamas”, Rajoub added, “We are not part of any foreign agenda, we are a Palestinian movement working for Palestine and its cause”.
He also welcomed the international delegates visiting the Gaza Strip and breaking the siege, and called on Europe and the United States to open dialogue with the Hamas movement as it is an important part of the Palestinian people and that Hamas cannot be ignored.
He called for unity with Hamas and all factions, and added that Hamas’s gate to regional and international recognition can only be achieved through unity and under the umbrella of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
As for peace talks with Israel and the expected 14th visit of the US Middle East Envoy, George Mitchell, Rajoub stated that Fateh movement will not accept to resume peace talks with Israel before it stops its violations, the illegal settlement activities and the construction of the Annexation Wall.
He added that talks cannot be held with Israel while it is ongoing with its violations in East Jerusalem, the destruction of homes and the ongoing efforts to change its demography.
“The visit of Mitchell, and others, will not change anything on the ground”, he stated, “We will continue our political maneuvers and efforts to raise awareness to the cause, and achieve justice”.
He further states that Turkey is a regional power that can affect the situation in the Middle East, and is playing an essential role in the region.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
Send money, they'll relax
Ha ha and therein lies the problem. Wherever these losers go( not all but the leaders for certain) there are problems. Where is the outrage when Syria surrouinded and killed thousands of pali's, or Jordan's own war with them, or Lebanon, what of the House of Wahabi sending building supplies, building universities, and helping with farming equipment?
Ain't gonna happen becasue THE WORLD( UN etc) wants to keep this an Israeli problem, right to return and all that rot. Again, lay down your weapons, and shut the heck up and maybe through their "peaceful coexistence' of recognizing Israel and Jews as humans FIRST. Gees, I'm repeating myself too much. I think I'll just cut and paste the same post over and over again...neh, no fun.
Oh yeah, and someone get Mitchell the Wahabi loving anti-semite OUT OF THERE.
Deputy-head of the Central Committee of Fateh movement, Jibril Rajoub, stated that the movement and its presidents, Mahmoud Abbas, were threatened on boycott by the United States should they achieve reconciliation with the rival Hamas movement.Hamas therefore pretends to accept Israel's existence. Meanwhile, part of the deliberate quiet sabotage of the whole works by George Mitchell emerges from Fatah.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.