The Saudi Arabians, who proposed a plan in 2002 that would destroy Israel without a shot being fired, think that since the Saudis proposed it, Israel must accept it—as is, with no changes. Because gee, that’s what negotiations are all about: The Arabs dictated, and the Israelis agree. Right?
Wrong.
Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Saud al-Faisal slammed reports that Israel is seeking to revise the language of a Saudi peace initiative adopted by the Arab League in Beirut in 2002.
”We have no desire to negotiate over this,” said al-Faisal in a joint press conference with EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Javier Solana in Riyadh.
”They accept the resolution and then they talk about putting preconditions that should be accepted before negotiations or discussions or even the acceptance of the proposal. This is not a good way to do business.”
The peace initiative calls for a full Israeli withdrawal from areas captured in the 1967 Middle East war and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. In exchange, Israel would receive full diplomatic recognition from the Arab world.
This article, which is mostly the words of our friends at the Associated Press, takes a while to get to the main objections Israel has with the plan:
Meanwhile, Egypt and Syria said Tuesday that there should be no changes made to the initiative, particularly regarding the Palestinian right of return.
”We have the Arab peace plan and we are committed to it as a whole. Talk about amending it is baseless,” Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa said after meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. ”What we want is returning all the occupied land including Jerusalem.”
Mubarak’s spokesman Suleiman Awwad said Egypt also rejects the Israeli demands for amending the plan. ”Israel cannot pick and choose from the initiative and then jump into establishing normal relations with Arabs,” Awwad said. ”The Arab plan offers full withdrawal for full peace.”
Sure. Let millions of palestinians, now including the fifth generation of “refugees,” come back to Israel. Because that won’t destroy the Jewish State. Apparently, the Arabs think they can get through negotiations what they couldn’t get through battle. Or perhaps they really are stupid enough to think that Israel is on the ropes.
I have two letters for them: Eff and U.
A pox on the Saudis and their oil !!
Why does the shmuck Olmert even pay attention to the virulent anti Semitic Saudis anyway? How can we expect Bush to be more hawkish on Israel then Israel’s own girlie men Olemrt and Peretz? New elections please!