Free Republic

Israel is willing to make a sweeping concession -- dividing control of Jerusalem -- as part of a historic final peace pact with Palestinians, a key Cabinet member revealed yesterday. Defense Minister Ehud Barak signaled that his government is ready to drop its demand that even after the creation of a Palestinian state, Jerusalem would "remain the undivided capital of Israel." "West Jerusalem and 12 Jewish neighborhoods that are home to 200,000 [Israeli] residents will be ours," Barak told the newspaper Haaretz. "The Arab neighborhoods in which close to a quarter million Palestinians live will be theirs," he added, referring...

Prime minister tells advisors: Newspapers want headlines, I want to finalize a deal. PM, President Abbas hold private meeting in Washington, agree to keep talks discreet in order to promote peace process. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met in private Thursday, as part of the newly, Washington launched direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The two reportedly agreed to meet once every two weeks, with the first meeting set to take place at Sharm el-Sheik. Both US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Special US envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell are...