I just saw on CNN the reporter Christiane Amanpour talk about the Middle East peace process. Peace? Where they are trying to kill each other? Kill, that means dead. Not peaceful at all.
While there is war, there is no peace. They should be more properly called "armstice talks" or ending the "conflict talks". Really, we would never allow this propaganda nonsense if there was a conflict in Canada. I took this from a Jewish media outlet but all media outlets repeat this gibberish.
"Peace process" it's a nice alliteration. I couldn't watch the show, so I changed channels. They seem to try very hard for conflict in Asia, and succeed so well.
U.S. pledges 'more commitment' to Mideast peace process - Haaretz - Israel News
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak.
(Reuters)
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Last update - 23:19 04/01/2010
U.S. pledges 'more commitment' to Mideast peace process
By News Agencies
Tags: Israel news
The United States pledged Monday to be "even more committed this year" to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, warning that any further delay would only hurt the interests of all parties involved.
"We know that the Palestinians deserve a state to fulfill their aspirations. The Israelis deserve security to live peacefully side by side with their Palestinian neighbors," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.
"The Arab nations have made a very positive contribution in the peace initiative of the Arab League and others. So we're going to be even more committed this year, and we're starting this new year with that level of commitment and we're going to follow through and hopefully we can see this as a positive year in this long process," she said.
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The State Department said earlier Monday that it was making efforts to ensure a quick resumption of talks, adding that it was '"consulting closely with our European and regional allies."
Our goal remains the resumption of negotiations as soon as possible," said a state department official. "We believe that further delay is not in the interests of Palestinians, of Israelis, or of the U.S. We recognize of course that there are problems and difficulties. But waiting will only make things worse."
U.S. President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy George Mitchell is expected to return to the region sometime next week, according to an Israeli official in Washington.
Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani on Monday said he believed a unity government between rival Palestinian movements Hamas and Fatah would greatly aid the peace process, and pledged his own commitment to seeing the conflict resolved with the help of U.S. mediation.
"The most important thing is how we can make a unity government between the Palestinians so they can concentrate how to deal with the peace process," said Al-Thani.
"Also, the Israeli and the Palestinian have to know that the solution to solve this problem is by a dialogue," he said. "It is very important that there is no games in this dialogue because we know Jerusalem is a very important part, we know the settlements [are] a problem, we know the water, we know peace ? land-for-peace... [these are] the main elements [upon] which the international arena and all the countries."
"So I hope that both sides realize that they have to work together," Al-Thani added. "All of us, we are ready to help. All of us rely on the United States.. in this process."
Netanyahu: Change is in the air
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday added weight to recent speculation that peace talks could soon resume between Israel and the Palestinians, telling lawmakers from his Likud party that he sensed "a change in the air."
"In recent weeks I have felt that there is a certain change in the air, and I hope that this will mature, allowing the start of the diplomatic process," Netanyahu told the Likud Knesset faction.
"Israel is ready for a peace process with the Palestinian Authority, without preconditions," he said, adding that he has urged the Palestinians to enter such negotiations since he formed his government in April.
"We are serious in our intentions to reach a peace agreement," he said, but cautioned that "diplomatic plans said to be in my name that have appeared in the media have no truth to them."
Egypt lauds Israeli peace efforts, but urges caution
Meanwhile, Egypt said Monday that it believes Israel is serious about advancing the peace process, but warned that progress must be cautious so as to avoid compromising Palestinian demands.
"Our position is that the [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's] ideas are taking the Israeli position forward," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told reporters, following a meeting between President Hosni Mubarak and his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas.
"This is a protracted process and needs patience, clarity and prudence so that the Palestinians do not find themselves in a difficult position," he added.
Abbas and Mubarak met in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday. Their talks came in the wake of Netanyahu's visit to Cairo last week, where he presented some ideas for jump-starting the diplomatic process.
Following his meeting with Mubarak, Abbas reiterated his demand that Israel halt all settlement construction before he would agree to renew peace negotiations.
"We have said and are still saying that at the time when settlement construction is stopped and the international legitimacy is recognized, we will be ready to resume the negotiations," Abbas said.
The Palestinian president said Monday the Palestinian Authority's stance on renewal of talks had not changed, and that he and Mubarak had agreed to keep insisting on a complete settlement freeze.
"Our stance is known from the past and our stance remains the same - and in agreement with our brothers in Egypt - which is that we have no objections to negotiations or meetings in principle and we do not set conditions," Abbas said.
Mohammed Dahlan, a top official in Abbas' Fatah party, said there was a base for some optimism in the future of the peace process.
"We value the Egyptian efforts and hope these efforts will be concluded in a plan or package," he said.
There have been signs that progress was being made towards renewing the negotiations.
An aide to Abbas said last week the region would "see important political activity in the next two weeks". Israel's ambassador to Washington Michael Oren has said Mubarak has a key role to play in resuming talks.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit and Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman are due to visit Washington on Friday.
Abbas said Monday he did not know what had happened in talks between Mubarak and Netanyahu in Cairo last week, and added he did not wish to comment on that meeting until after Aboul Gheit and Suleiman returned from Washington.
He also said said Netanyahu's proposal for an Egyptian-hosted summit would be discussed during the Egyptian team's visit to the U.S.
"I don't want to judge ideas that look foggy now. They will be judged after the Egyptian delegation returns from Washington ... and things get clearer then," he said.
As first reported last week in Haaretz, Netanyahu has agreed to conduct negotiations on all core issues of the conflict with the Palestinians.
The Israeli premier is ready to discuss the future of Jerusalem as well as the borders of a future Palestinian state. Netanyahu is also willing to allot two years for both sides to reach a deal establishing a Palestinian state along the June 1967 lines.
While there is war, there is no peace. They should be more properly called "armstice talks" or ending the "conflict talks". Really, we would never allow this propaganda nonsense if there was a conflict in Canada. I took this from a Jewish media outlet but all media outlets repeat this gibberish.
"Peace process" it's a nice alliteration. I couldn't watch the show, so I changed channels. They seem to try very hard for conflict in Asia, and succeed so well.
U.S. pledges 'more commitment' to Mideast peace process - Haaretz - Israel News
(Reuters)
Last update - 23:19 04/01/2010
The United States pledged Monday to be "even more committed this year" to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, warning that any further delay would only hurt the interests of all parties involved.
"We know that the Palestinians deserve a state to fulfill their aspirations. The Israelis deserve security to live peacefully side by side with their Palestinian neighbors," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.
"The Arab nations have made a very positive contribution in the peace initiative of the Arab League and others. So we're going to be even more committed this year, and we're starting this new year with that level of commitment and we're going to follow through and hopefully we can see this as a positive year in this long process," she said.
The State Department said earlier Monday that it was making efforts to ensure a quick resumption of talks, adding that it was '"consulting closely with our European and regional allies."
Our goal remains the resumption of negotiations as soon as possible," said a state department official. "We believe that further delay is not in the interests of Palestinians, of Israelis, or of the U.S. We recognize of course that there are problems and difficulties. But waiting will only make things worse."
U.S. President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy George Mitchell is expected to return to the region sometime next week, according to an Israeli official in Washington.
Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani on Monday said he believed a unity government between rival Palestinian movements Hamas and Fatah would greatly aid the peace process, and pledged his own commitment to seeing the conflict resolved with the help of U.S. mediation.
"The most important thing is how we can make a unity government between the Palestinians so they can concentrate how to deal with the peace process," said Al-Thani.
"Also, the Israeli and the Palestinian have to know that the solution to solve this problem is by a dialogue," he said. "It is very important that there is no games in this dialogue because we know Jerusalem is a very important part, we know the settlements [are] a problem, we know the water, we know peace ? land-for-peace... [these are] the main elements [upon] which the international arena and all the countries."
"So I hope that both sides realize that they have to work together," Al-Thani added. "All of us, we are ready to help. All of us rely on the United States.. in this process."
Netanyahu: Change is in the air
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday added weight to recent speculation that peace talks could soon resume between Israel and the Palestinians, telling lawmakers from his Likud party that he sensed "a change in the air."
"In recent weeks I have felt that there is a certain change in the air, and I hope that this will mature, allowing the start of the diplomatic process," Netanyahu told the Likud Knesset faction.
"Israel is ready for a peace process with the Palestinian Authority, without preconditions," he said, adding that he has urged the Palestinians to enter such negotiations since he formed his government in April.
"We are serious in our intentions to reach a peace agreement," he said, but cautioned that "diplomatic plans said to be in my name that have appeared in the media have no truth to them."
Egypt lauds Israeli peace efforts, but urges caution
Meanwhile, Egypt said Monday that it believes Israel is serious about advancing the peace process, but warned that progress must be cautious so as to avoid compromising Palestinian demands.
"Our position is that the [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's] ideas are taking the Israeli position forward," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told reporters, following a meeting between President Hosni Mubarak and his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas.
"This is a protracted process and needs patience, clarity and prudence so that the Palestinians do not find themselves in a difficult position," he added.
Abbas and Mubarak met in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday. Their talks came in the wake of Netanyahu's visit to Cairo last week, where he presented some ideas for jump-starting the diplomatic process.
Following his meeting with Mubarak, Abbas reiterated his demand that Israel halt all settlement construction before he would agree to renew peace negotiations.
"We have said and are still saying that at the time when settlement construction is stopped and the international legitimacy is recognized, we will be ready to resume the negotiations," Abbas said.
The Palestinian president said Monday the Palestinian Authority's stance on renewal of talks had not changed, and that he and Mubarak had agreed to keep insisting on a complete settlement freeze.
"Our stance is known from the past and our stance remains the same - and in agreement with our brothers in Egypt - which is that we have no objections to negotiations or meetings in principle and we do not set conditions," Abbas said.
Mohammed Dahlan, a top official in Abbas' Fatah party, said there was a base for some optimism in the future of the peace process.
"We value the Egyptian efforts and hope these efforts will be concluded in a plan or package," he said.
There have been signs that progress was being made towards renewing the negotiations.
An aide to Abbas said last week the region would "see important political activity in the next two weeks". Israel's ambassador to Washington Michael Oren has said Mubarak has a key role to play in resuming talks.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit and Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman are due to visit Washington on Friday.
Abbas said Monday he did not know what had happened in talks between Mubarak and Netanyahu in Cairo last week, and added he did not wish to comment on that meeting until after Aboul Gheit and Suleiman returned from Washington.
He also said said Netanyahu's proposal for an Egyptian-hosted summit would be discussed during the Egyptian team's visit to the U.S.
"I don't want to judge ideas that look foggy now. They will be judged after the Egyptian delegation returns from Washington ... and things get clearer then," he said.
As first reported last week in Haaretz, Netanyahu has agreed to conduct negotiations on all core issues of the conflict with the Palestinians.
The Israeli premier is ready to discuss the future of Jerusalem as well as the borders of a future Palestinian state. Netanyahu is also willing to allot two years for both sides to reach a deal establishing a Palestinian state along the June 1967 lines.
