Arab League Backs Israeli-Palestinian Direct Talks But Without Timeline, Reference Terms, or Monitoring Mechanism

Editor's Note:

In its letter to the Obama administration, the Arab League demanded that the US should give assurances that the Israeli-Palestinian direct talks should be conducted with firm timeline, specific reference terms, and a monitoring mechanism.

However, in agreeing to the direct talks, on July 29, 2010, the Arab League did not require these terms to be observed before the start of direct talks.

Then, what is it really the Arab League is approving?

In effect, it is approving nothing more than negotiations for negotiations like the one which have been conducted since 1988.

The end outcome is a continuation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the continued subjugation of the Palestinian people, and the continued theft of their lands by the illegal Israeli settlers and occupation forces.

A lot of lip service to the two-state solution, peace, and US mediation, while in fact nothing is happening other than hypocritical TV appearances, hand shakes, and more news blackouts about besieged Gaza.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Arab League Backs Direct Talks In Principle

Thursday July 29, 2010 18:08 by Brian Ennis - IMEMC & Agencies

The Arab League has agreed to direct talks, in principle, but would not endorse them over Abbas's judgment and without clear guidelines for their progression.

Thursday, the Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said that the Arab League would not oppose direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians as long as it was the move Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas chose.

Jassim, whose nation heads the committee on the peace process, also expressed deep suspicion at Israel's true commitment to the peace process and direct talks.

The League, in a letter to President Obama, said that any future negotiations will require a firm timeline, specific reference terms, and a monitoring mechanism.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, met with Spain's Foreign Minister on Wednesday.

At a press conference he expressed that the current Israeli government cannot agree to another settlement freeze. He stated in no uncertain terms that Israel's current coalition government would collapse under the political weight of a concession such as that.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Netanyahu refuses to extend settlement freeze

[ 29/07/2010 - 12:13 PM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The Israeli occupation government so-called prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, refused to extend his government's decision on freezing illegal Israeli settlement building in the West Bank, Hebrew media reported on Thursday.

Haaretz quoted Netanyahu as telling visiting Spanish foreign minister Miguel Moratinos in Jerusalem on Wednesday that extending the decision would lead to dissolving the coalition government.

The report follows news on American guarantees and efforts to start direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians under Egyptian patronage.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Palestinian factions condemn PA plans for direct negotiations with occupation

[ 30/07/2010 - 06:26 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Palestinian factions have condemned the PA plans to enter into direct negotiations with the Israeli occupation government at a time when Zionist aggressions, such as land and home confiscation in Jerusalem as well as the building of settlement, are on the increase.

Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesman in the Gaza Strip, said in a statement to PIC that returning to direct negotiations with the enemy is a slippery slope that the PA has fallen into and that for the PA to continue to compromise Palestinian rights threatens Palestinian rights and Palestinian unity.

Barhoum also stated that the results of negotiations so far were disastrous and a stab in the side of the Palestinian cause, adding that on top of this fact Abbas sought approval from the Arab League for direct negotiations and for the AL granted him this approval at a time when the occupation's Judaization attempts are at a peak.

For his part, Daud Shehab, the Islamic Jihad spokesman, condemned the PA's intention of direct negotiations saying that it was odd that the PA intends to move into direct negotiations while it admits that indirect negotiations were not successful.

He warned that to continue with negotiations means the Judaization of Jerusalem, the loss of Palestinian inalienable rights stressing that who ever supports the negotiations option is helping to reinforce occupation.

Regarding the Arab League committee which gave Abbas the go ahead, Shehab said no one has given this committee the authority and that the Palestinian people have not authorised anyone to negotiate their rights away.

Dr. Zulfaqar Swerjo, member of the central council of the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said that negotiations could not take place while settlement activities are taking place and Jerusalem is being emptied of its Palestinian population.

He warned against believing any US "assurances" expressing conviction that believing such assurances would be the prelude for another Palestinian catastrophe.

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.