Jordan Times
Friday, June 12, 2009
King: Obama’s stance creates a
positive atmosphere in region
AMMAN (JT & Agencies) - His Majesty King Abdullah said Thursday that US
President Barack Obama's stance on the Middle East have created a positive
atmosphere that paves the way for a comprehensive and lasting solution to the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
At a meeting with US envoy to the Middle East Senator George Mitchell, King
Abdullah said it is important that all stakeholders play a positive role to help
realise peace and stability in the region.
King Abdullah and the US envoy also discussed the steps necessary to kick-start
serious negotiations to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of
the two-state solution and within a regional context in accordance with the
relevant terms of reference and the Arab Peace Initiative, which offers Israel
peace and normal ties for withdrawal from occupied lands.
The King and Mitchell also discussed the outcome of the senator's regional tour
to activate peace efforts.
Stressing the importance of the time factor, the King emphasised the urgent need
for immediate action to launch serious negotiations based on a clear action-plan
to realise the two-state solution as soon as possible.
His Majesty said the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on
Palestinian national soil in accordance with the two-state formula is the only
way to bring about peace and stability in the region. He also emphasised the
need for Israel to halt settlements in the Palestinian territories and
unilateral procedures in Jerusalem, which, he said, are meant to alter the
identity of the holy city.
King Abdullah, who underlined the significance of the US role in realising
peace, security and stability in the region, highlighted Obama's efforts in this
regard.
The Monarch commended Obama's speech in Cairo last week, which, he said, sent
important messages and reflected positive stands, especially the US commitment
to the two-state solution and Obama’s stated desire to form a relationship
between the US and the Arab and Muslim worlds built on mutual respect.
In a statement following the meeting, Mitchell said the US is committed to
bringing about comprehensive peace in the region.
The senator added that discussions with the Monarch covered means to activate
the peace process and find the required context to launch peace talks, which, he
said, should start with the Israelis and Palestinians honouring their
commitments under the roadmap.
The talks also addressed the work required by all peace-concerned countries,
including the US, Europe and the Arab states, to support these efforts and build
on them.
Also Thursday, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh met with the US official and
discussed efforts to bring about peace and stability in the region.
Also on Thursday, Mitchell called for Arab states to take "meaningful steps and
important actions" to make peace with Israel, after talks with Egyptian Foreign
Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.
But Abul Gheit stressed that Israel should first take its own "serious" steps
such as ending Jewish settlements and reducing the military occupation of the
West Bank before Arab states would act.
Mitchell arrived in Cairo from Israel and the Palestinian territories,
reiterating Washington's position that a Palestinian state was the only viable
answer to the Middle East conflict.
"We are working hard to achieve our objective, a comprehensive peace in the
Middle East, including a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and
security with Israel," Mitchell told reporters.
This includes "peace between Israel and its other immediate neighbours and full
normalisation of relations between Israel and all of the Arab nations as
contemplated by the Arab peace initiative," he said.
The 2002 initiative, backed by all 22 members of the Arab League, offers Israel
full normalisation in return for a withdrawal from territory occupied in the
1967 Middle East war, a Palestinian state and an equitable solution to the
Palestinian refugee problem.
Mitchell also recalled the two sides' obligations under the 2003 international
"roadmap" peace plan that among other things demands that the Palestinians halt
violence and Israel stop settlement activity.
"Israelis and Palestinians have responsibility to meet their obligations under
the roadmap. It is not just their responsibility. We believe it is in their
interest as well."
"As President [Barack] Obama said here in Cairo just last week, the Arab states
have an important role to play... We regard the Arab peace initiative as an
important proposal that we are trying to integrate into our effort.
"Proposing the initiative was just the beginning. It brings with it
responsibilities to join in taking meaningful steps and important actions that
will help us move towards our objective." But Abul Gheit said that Arab states
would take steps towards normalisation, such as allowing Israeli trade missions
to reopen as they were before the Intifada of 2000, once they saw Israel take
its own "serious and real" steps.
"Any Arab act must be matched by an act," Abul Gheit said in answer to a
question on what exactly was meant by "meaningful Arab steps".
"There must be a substantial Israeli act which consists of a complete end to
settlement activity and the withdrawal of the Israeli army from all [West Bank]
towns and the end of the [Gaza] blockade.
"If we see serious and real Israeli steps we think that Arab parties will also
be ready to return to the situation existing before 2000," he said.
"If the peace process moves forward, Egypt will not be against... Arab acts to
encourage the Israeli side to advance still further on the path of peace." Abul
Gheit stressed that one-sided Arab application of the 2002 initiative was not
the way forward.
"If Israel wants concessions from the Arab side and for Arab countries to first
start applying all of the Arab initiative, that will not be the path to peace,
because this will mean leaving the Palestinians to deal with Israel on their
own, and [Israel] would already have obtained what they wanted."
Mitchell was due in Beirut later Thursday and Damascus on Friday and Saturday in
what will be his first trip to Syria.
Internal feud
Palestinian security forces arrested 36 Hamas supporters, the Islamic group said
Thursday, widening a crackdown by the Western-backed Palestinian president.
The sweep is part of an apparent effort by Mahmoud Abbas to show he is
fulfilling his commitments under the US-backed "roadmap" peace plan at a time
when Obama has been pushing both sides to make progress.
The crackdown comes as Netanyahu prepares to give a key speech Sunday in which
his aides say he may come out in favour of Palestinian statehood, albeit with
strings attached.
Abbas' Fateh Party and Hamas have been bitter rivals, particularly since Hamas
violently seized the Gaza Strip two years ago, leaving Abbas only in control of
the West Bank.
Since the Hamas takeover, Abbas' forces have arrested hundreds of Hamas
activists, shut down Hamas-affiliated institutions and tried to dry up the
group's funding.
The latest sweep included 17 students from a United Nations-run teachers'
institute, Hamas said.
Palestinian police spokesman Adnan Damiri confirmed arrests were made, but did
not say how many people were held. He denied the arrests were political.
Political analyst Hani Al Masri said Abbas' focus on security serves to show
Obama that he is serious about peace talks, while drawing attention away from
internal Palestinian divisions.