Netanyahu says willing to discuss Arab initiative for peace with Palestinians

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

World | Mon May 30, 2016 5:17pm EDT

Netanyahu says willing to discuss Arab initiative for peace with Palestinians

JERUSALEM | BY ORI LEWIS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held out the prospect on Monday of reviving a 2002 Arab peace initiative that offers Israel diplomatic recognition from Arab countries in return for a statehood deal with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu's comments were a formal response to a speech last week by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who promised Israel warmer ties if it accepted efforts to resume peace talks.

"The Arab peace initiative includes positive elements that can help revive constructive negotiations with the Palestinians," Netanyahu said, echoing comments he made a year ago to Israeli reporters.

"We are willing to negotiate with the Arab states revisions to that initiative so that it reflects the dramatic changes in the region since 2002 but maintains the agreed goal of two states for two peoples," he added.

His comments were made also in English in a speech that was mostly in Hebrew - a device Netanyahu often uses when he wants to make a statement to the international community.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-netanyahu-idUSKCN0YL1WQ

[oldandhappy]

1. he has tossed this olive branch before, and then changed

[brush]

2. How many times has he done this before?

[Little Tich]

3. Is Netanyahu completely unaware that the French peace plan is based on the 2002 Arab peace

initiative?

More nonsense from the Prime Minister of Israel...

[geek tragedy]

4. Bibi in the abstract expresses a willingness to talk about a potential plan

to negotiate about a settlement.

Pretty sad something so utterly meaningless and pro forma makes news.