Netanyahu Invites Abbas To Talk Peace

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday invited the Palestinians to sit down immediately to talk peace, but the Palestinian leader rebuffed the call, saying that Israel must first halt all West Bank settlement construction.

The issue of Israeli settlements has emerged as a major sticking point in efforts to restart peace talks, which halted shortly before Netanyahu took office in March. The Palestinians have been bolstered by the United States' insistence that Israel freeze the settlement construction on lands claimed by the Palestinians.

Netanyahu, who for years was a vocal critic of Mideast peace efforts, recently reversed himself and for the first time endorsed the goal of establishing an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel as part of a final peace agreement. However, he attached a series of conditions rejected by the Palestinians, and they have been cool to his offer.

"There is no reason Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and I should not meet, anywhere in this country, to advance the political process," Netanyahu told the weekly meeting of his Cabinet.

Netanyahu said he already has made a series of gestures, such as the removal of several military checkpoints in the West Bank, meant to improve the Palestinian economy.

"In recent weeks, we have made many efforts to ease their lives, especially regarding freedom of movement for Palestinians," he said. "But I would like to make it clear that all of these efforts are unilateral on Israel's part. All these efforts can only go so far, and the results will multiply many times if only there is cooperation from the other side. ... Let us make peace, diplomatic peace and economic peace. Let us cooperate on these projects," he said.

The Palestinians have been skeptical about Netanyahu's intentions. They say the Israeli gestures are not enough to revive an economy beaten down by years of conflict, and fear that Netanyahu is using his economic program as a way to divert attention from the core diplomatic issues of negotiating a final peace deal.

Abbas has refused to meet Netanyahu and reiterated his stance at a news conference on Sunday that for negotiations on the key issues to resume, there must be "a complete halt to settlement activities."

Netanyahu's predecessor, Ehud Olmert, spent more than a year negotiating with Abbas. The peace talks yielded no major breakthroughs, and during that time, Israel continued to build up its settlements. Nearly 500,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem _ areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war and claimed by the Palestinians.

Israel agreed under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan to freeze all building in the West Bank. But it has not honored that 2003 obligation, saying the Palestinians have not fulfilled their commitment to crack down on militant groups.

Comments

[JerryLevy]

Article 19: Fatah Constitution:

...the struggle will not cease unless the zionist state is demolished and Palestine is completely liberated.

After 10 years of Oslo peace negotiations this is the fundamental position of the "moderate" wing of the Palestinians.

Let's sit down and talk peace!

[driven989]

Oh please with your silly propoganda. It was Israel who did not fulfill its obligations under Oslo.

[BubbaC33]

What nonsense. Israel has made steps toward peace, the Arabs have only done what they can to stop the process.

[Mikeeee]

Yes lets sit down and talk peace while Israel continues to build settlements on what is supposed to be left of Palestine for the Palestinians. Surely that's a sign of honest negotiations. There will not be peace until Israel shows some honesty. Yahu is a fraud at best.
I expect that in a couple of weeks Palestinians will launch a couple of poorly aimed small rockets into Israel (possibly injuring or killing a few Israelis) because Israel has not stopped it's expansionism and of course, the Palestinians will get blamed ( Look what they're doing, how can you negotiate with those people), Israel will respond with well armed soldiers and weapons used on people that were meant to be used on buildings and a few hundred or thousand Palestinians will be killed.
It's like having someone come in and start building a home on your property and when you use the only resource you have (a 22 cal rifle) to get them to stop, the police show up and use tactical weapons and .357 magnums to subdue you.

[JerryLevy]

I agree with you, the Palestinians will continue to mount terrorist attacks on Israel. Luckily we have the security barrier or those terrorist attacks in the form of suicide murderers would occur in restaurants, hotels, and busses

[CigarGod]

Do you ever address the point?

[MyNameIsJames]

I believe that this move by the EU and possibly the UN is exactly what is needed. Its called leadership! Israel has got to be accountable to a timetable not of its own making. Lots of people have paid for Israel's mistreatment of the Palestinian people including the US - it was called 9/11.

I am not suggesting that the US should abandon Israel- but let's be frank - Israel's bad advice to the US and its stuborness - creates too much trouble for the United States on the world stage.

Its just not worth it. What does the US get in return?

The future is an Arab/Persian dominated Middle East - Israel and the United States will have to adapt to these changes - nothing can stop this from happening.

[CigarGod]

We need UN troops in Israel.

[BubbaC33]

There is no need for UN or US troops in Israel. Send them to Somalia.

[whoa20]

you're pathetic. You are actually justifying the biggest attack on our soil by blaming Israel. Sorry, but Palestinians were dancing in the streets on 9/11. Sorry, Israel didn't make them dance. Islamic terrorism is not about Israel: its about Islamic conquest.

[ThinkLiberal]

Just watch Bibi do everything in his power to scuttle the very valid suggestion made by Mr. Solana. And if anyone thinks that Bibi is, or ever will "negotiate" with the Palestinians in good faith, without serial outrageous demands (anything to prevent peace), then I have a really pretty bridge to sell.

FREE PALESTINE NOW!!!

[Whinger]

Israel twinned with Alaska, both have a bridge to nowhere!

Abbas shouldn't participate in this time wasters game!

[pomegrante]

pKatherine very correct. and you have people on the msm talking about how iran cut journalists out. During operation cast lead did i.z.r/ae.l let anyone in that did not report their propaganda?

[PKatherine]

Thanks.
No and no one protested.
Apparently it was for their own security. We need fair news from both sides, from real people.

[pomegrante]

wakethesleepers and others who have posted. don't forget thecountless number of black and native indian americans who suffered on United States soil who are always told to get over it.

[BrettnCalgary]

Yes, the conquest, subjugation, and genocide of the native north americans was wrong, as was the circumstances under which africans were brought as slaves, but this is old history, there is no way to realistically compensate for it. If the majority of the north american population today was native, oppressed, and a single generation away from the actual conquest, still well in living memory, do you think it would be possible to keep them down? I don't, but that is not reality, reality is that the native american numbers will never support their claims as they rightfully exist. Human civilizations stomp on each other all the time, historically speaking and every grievance from ancient history can't be reconciled with reality as it exists today.

Is that saying "get over it"? I'm afraid so, for all intents and purposes. You have stumbled over the real Israeli strategy though, they think if they carry on in the current manner that eventually they will have it all and the Palestinians will be reconciled to living in reserves. The longer the settlements exist and grow the less likely they can be removed to the extent necessary to create a Palestinian state. Who knows, if they can hold off some kind of peace deal then maybe they will be able to oppress the Arabs into submission over a couple generations, or at least submissive enough that they can be contained without too much effort in their "reserves". I don't believe this for one minute.

[Carl Caroli]

So this is, "come let me tell you what you don't want to hear, we'll call it a discussion, and then I can tell the rest of the world I tried but you wouldn't cooperate" and now I'm justified in fighting for expanded settlements. Wow, he's learned a lot in 20 years. Let's face it, there is no compromise with the hardliners. These guys want to dictate to the rest of the region. The US does not need to be complicit here, that's for sure. Time to let them fend for themselves.

[openhand]

"come let me tell you what you don't want to hear, we'll call it a discussion,...
:)
reminds me of:
"when we want your opinion we will give it to you"

[propitiousmoment]

Bully: I have slightly eased the pressure of my hand on your throat, there's more where that came from, I may even allow you a sip of water if you deed the rest of your land to me, I don't understand why you can't see that I'm being reasonable and magnanimous.

[flurryup]

I could not have said it better! LOLLOLOLLOOLOLLOL. Brilliant!

[gakabani]

The pathetic PM if Usrael us going to tell them that mire land us going to be confiscated.

[JackND]

So Israel is apparently the only nation that doesn't get to keep land it won in a war, a war it didn't start no less.

Quite the irony that this comes from Europe of all places, where the national boundaries have blood all over them.

[MemoryAlpha]

Hindsight Recommendation:
Israel should not have signed the Geneva Conventions if they wanted to build an empire.

[renatam]

And, they should build it with their OWN money.

[bigben1986]

80% of water is being siphoned by Israel while only 20% goes to the entire Palistinian community. Do you think that's fair? While some Israeli's houses got swimming pools the Palistinians have to use contaminated water because 20% is not enough to go around.

[propitiousmoment]

If they won the land fair and square, with truly pure motives as you imply, then they should make its inhabitants citizens and assimilate them into their democracy. The fact that they refuse to do so, and refuse to give them reasonable living accommodations, is pretty solid evidence that they did not have purely self-defense motives in the first place, or that such motives became a cover for greed and opportunism.

[driven989]

So are you saying that Israel should be allowed to keep all of the land of historical Palestine? Is this your position? This would put you (and others like you) out of step with the international consensus and international law.

[CigarGod]

Really?
You grasp of history is astounding.

Just one of dozens of modern examples: We didn't keep Japan.

[Littlewords]

Asked while at the same exact moment their hammers and nails continue to expand their settlements to the deliberate irritation of the Palestinians and many others.

kind of makes this seem less than an pure earnest offer does it not?

[yankees]

Funny how the comments criticizing for Israel for AGAIN taking the first step in talking but none about the Arab leaders from all countries refusing through the years. Most of the people commenting on Israel are fairly new to the issues because it has become a Left Wing cause. They should do a little research on the problem that has always been around but gathered strength with the Balfour Decree.
And how about Obama's willingness to talk with Iran, Syria, Chavez and all. That's fine because it is part of the Left Wing agenda but once again Israel is criticized for trying to do the same thing. Double standards.

[renatam]

Israel is a WELFARE STATE, subsidized by the hard-pressed American taxpayers. They provide FREE lifelong healthcare and education to all of its citizens, courtesy of the same.

Forget the criticism. The majority of Americans, who are NOT conflicted and/or dual citizens - want this to end. We can't afford the setup.

The propaganda no longer works.

[pkafin]

I wonder if you know what percentage of a dollar paid by an American taxpayer goes to Israel.

I also wonder if you know, of the aid that Israel receives, what percentage of it is required to be spent in the US on military equipment.

Much of the current structure of aid was drafted while the Soviet Union was supplying Syria and Egypt with massive military aid. Israel was a pawn in the cold war and the aid you speak of had never really been used to support health care or education for Israeli citizens.

Feel free to refute that last statement. But, if you can, please respond to the first two statements as well. I think, once you research the answers, you will be surprised.

[BubbaC33]

College is not free for Israeli students. I wish it could be, my daughter is 9 and has already determined her college goal. A free college degree in Israel would be far better.

[Anode]

"Most of the people commenting on Israel are fairly new to the issues... They should do a little research..."

a little research shows this:

PART_1
Benjamin Netanyahu is the Chairman of the Likud Party
Likud was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin

Albert Einstein with 27 prominent Jewish leaders in a letter to the New York Times. December 4, 1948, characterized Menahem Begin and his party in the following words:

"Among the most disturbing political phenomena of our times is the emergence in the newly created state of Israel of the "Freedom Party" (Tnuat Haherut), a political party closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to the Nazi and Fascist parties. It was formed out of the membership and following of the former Irgun Zvai Leumi, a terrorist, right-wing, chauvinist organization in Palestine.
The current visit of Menachem Begin, leader of this party, to the United States is obviously calculated to give the impression of American support for his party in the coming Israeli elections, and to cement political ties with conservative Zionist elements in the United States. Several Americans of national repute have lent their names to welcome his visit. It is inconceivable that those who oppose fascism throughout the world, if correctly informed as to Mr. Begin's political record and perspectives, could add their names and support to the movement he represents.

[Anode]

PART_2
Before irreparable damage is done by way of financial contributions, public manifestations in Begin's behalf, and the creation in Palestine of the impression that a large segment of America supports Fascist elements in Israel, the American public must be informed as to the record and objectives of Mr. Begin and his movement.
The public avowals of Begin's party are no guide whatever to its actual character. Today they speak of freedom, democracy and anti-imperialism, whereas until recently they openly preached the doctrine of the Fascist state. It is in its actions that the terrorist party betrays its real character; from its past actions we can judge what it may be expected to do in the future...."

Albert Einstein with 27 prominent Jewish leaders in a letter to the New York Times. December 4, 1948
original of the letter:

http://www.archive.org/details/AlbertEinsteinLetterToTheNewYorkTimes.December41948
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/New_Palestine_Party;_Visit_of_Menachen_Begin_and_Aims_of_Political_Movement_Discussed

[BubbaC33]

Yet Einsteing donated his papers to israel.

[Darwin256]

Research on the Balfour Declaration:

http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Palestine-Remembered/Story452.html

[wags101]

Wake up, the Palestinians have already said "no" to "peace" talks because they see it for what it is: a pr campaign for Israel to use agianst them. The problem is that the whole world sees it for what it is. Even though Israel controls every aspect of life in Gaza (including no media coverage) the world knows of Israel's despicable acts and crimes against the Gazan people.
CUT US AID, It's the only way to end this theater.

Favorite

[wakethesleepers]

larce1948
You said:
I totally understand why Jews are still PO'd about the Holocaust. That was one of the most horrific acts ever committed. So, why don't they attack Germany?

Answer: Actually there have been many atrocities when considering the numbers of dead/murdered humans. WW2 was a horrific event but ....
The Bolshevik Revolution had numbers of murdered people in excess of 20 million. (some claim as high as 40 million?)
Pol Pot (in Asia) allegedly murdered even more people than were killed during the Bolshevik Revolution.
Google and find out.

Also, consider modern-day Germans had nothing to do with the WW2 Holocaust, involving (but not totally limited to) Jewish people in Europe.

Why should modern-day Germans be "attacked" or held accountable for something they played no part in perpetrating?

[renatam]

1. Americans are not responsible for the Holocaust (of the Jews);
2. Americans have gotten a two generational BILL for reparations (billions and billions over the entire working lives of boomers/seniors in America to build/re-build, etc.) to Israel - amazingly, via mega-lobbying and manipulation of our Government;
3. I don't want to hear one more word about what happened in Germany because many of our grandfathers/fathers/brothers/uncles, etc. DIED or were wounded to end WWII.

This debt propaganda needs to stop once and for all. The American Government owes boomers/seniors SECURITY in our third age. It owes our children/grandchildren a quality education so they can afford to make a quality life AND carry 100 mil seniors (boomers and half their parents) on their backs over the next 40 years. Those are the ONLY debts I want to hear/know about.

ENOUGH.

[BubbaC33]

During WW II a Jewish Brigade fought alongside the Brits. At the same time the Grand Mufti was living in Berlin as a guest of Hitler, offering advice on how best to handle the Jewish problem.

[repugnicansfearme]

T. Boone Pickens should not have a blog on HuffPost. His despicable and reprehensible actions supporting the "Swift Boating" of John Kerry, among other ultra-right wing support he provides, should negate his appearing on this site.

[PKatherine]

who's that? and why is he on this site? we want news with facts not news with truthiness!!!!!!

I demand my news free of truthiness!!