Asia

Asia

Israeli PM expresses willingness to discuss core issues of Mideast conflict

14 December 2010 21:12 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. As U.S. special Mideast envoy George Mitchell renewed his peace brokering efforts in the Middle East, Israel on Tuesday expressed its willingness to discuss core issues with the Palestinians while stopped short of settlement building freeze, APA reports quoting Xinhua News Agency.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met Mitchell Monday evening, said Tuesday at a domestic conference that the two persons "spoke about ways to advance the peace process" and added that the meeting was "very good."

The U.S. envoy returned to the region for the first time since his last visit on Sept. 15. Direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) broke down less than two weeks later over Israel’s refusal to extend a self-imposed 10- month moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank that ended on Sept. 26.

Terming Mitchell’s return as "to establish a new path" for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the premier on Monday told Mitchell that he is prepared to discuss core issues necessary for reviving the stalled negotiations with the Palestinians, according to local media.

Addressing a business conference in Tel Aviv just hours before meeting with Mitchell, Netanyahu praised the U.S. administration’s decision to drop its demand for extending the freeze on West Bank settlement construction.

"The decision is good for Israel and good for peace," Netanyahu told attendees at the conference, adding that he hoped to "narrow the gaps" in positions between Israel and the PNA.

"To reach peace, we have to discuss the issues that are truly delaying peace," Netanyahu said, mentioning the core issues of " security arrangements, refugees, a Palestinian recognition of the Jewish State and many other issues."

The U.S. also wants Israel to discuss the borders of a future Palestinian state and the status of Jerusalem.

Mitchell said Tuesday after meeting with PNA President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah that his country would continue efforts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks despite difficulties.

"There are still many difficulties and obstacles in the way but we are determined to persevere in our efforts to see independent and viable state of Palestine," Mitchell told reporters.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said Abbas had told Mitchell that the Palestinians are sticking to the demand that Israel must freeze Jewish settlement building before resuming the negotiations.

Despite the U.S. administration’s adoption of a balanced approach in a bid to move the peace process forward, members of Congress are warning that American funding of the PNA could very well cease if it continues its efforts to advance a unilateral declaration of statehood.

California Democrat Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told The Jerusalem Post that "pursuing a non-negotiated path to statehood is a fool’s errand. Palestinians want a state, not a declaration."

"Their only way to achieve that is through direct negotiations with Israel. If they [the Palestinians] try to circumvent negotiations, they’ll lose the support of a lot of people like me, and it will jeopardize their foreign aid as well," the daily on Tuesday quoted Berman as saying.

Berman’s concerns are reportedly shared by other members of Congress, to be led by the Republicans when they assume control in January.

A possible unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood has recently become a focus of the international community, following Brazil and Argentina’s declared recognition of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 lines. Uruguay has followed suit, saying it too will recognize Palestine as a political entity in 2011.