Report: Israel's Olmert To Open Talks With Saudis

[oberliner]

Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will soon meet with senior Saudi officials about simultaneously engaging seven moderate Arab states in peace negotiations, according to a report in Britain's Sunday Times.

An Israeli government source reportedly told the newspaper that Olmert had decided to accept parts of a 2002 peace initiative authored by the Saudis, and was ready to start holding talks on that basis.

Olmert came to that decision as a result of U.S. pressure.

"The truth is that it was not Olmert's own initiative but a dictate given to him last month when he met George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice in Washington," the source said.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7005710588

[pooja]

1. hmmm... wasn't chaney just there over thanksgiving... in saudi arabia

wonder what's cooking...

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[Douglas Carpenter]

3. Haaretz has an interesting article about this too

I sure hope to God that there is something to this:

link: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/795632.html

Last update - 15:40 03/12/2006


Report: PM to meet high-ranking Saudis soon in new peace bid

By Haaretz Service

snip:"The Sunday Times added that "A preliminary meeting between Olmert and a leading Saudi representative took place in Amman, the Jordanian capital, at the end of September. According to Israeli sources, the Saudi was Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former ambassador to Washington and one of the closest advisers to King Abdullah, the Saudi ruler."

The Saudi proposal, which would encompass the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, is believed to have the support at least seven nations who would agree to peace treaties and full normalization: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, the Emirates, Morocco and Tunisia."
_____________________________

And this interesting article from the Sunday Times of London

link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2483893,00.html

"An Arab source said: “The Saudis wanted to see Olmert commit publicly to what he promised Prince Bandar at the secret meeting in Amman.”

According to Israeli officials, Saudi Arabia is gradually taking over the role of principal peace broker previously played by Egypt.

Saudi influence is seen as invaluable, particularly as the country has funded many Arab causes. Hamas, the militant group that won Palestinian elections last January, was established with Saudi money; and the Palestinian Authority would have collapsed long ago without Saudi funding.

Olmert, his reputation damaged by this summer’s war in Lebanon, is looking for a dramatic initiative to restore his image at home."

[oberliner]

4. Text of the 2002 Saudi Proposal

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/AllDocsByUNID/5a7229b652beb9c5c1256b8a0054b62e

Excerpt:

2- Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

a. Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights to the lines of June 4, 1967 as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

b. Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian Refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194.

c. The acceptance of the establishment of a Sovereign Independent Palestinian State on the Palestinian territories occupied since the 4th of June 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab Countries affirm the following: a. Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

b. Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

[bemildred]

5. The rising Shiite menace must be countered.

And Uncle Sugar is losing effectiveness as a counterweight, for both the Saudis and Israel. Hence they now have common interests of a more substantial nature than in the past. The fact that Olmert finds it necessary now to consider the Arab initiative is also an indicator of the damage done by his stupid and destructive war in Lebanon, and the US' stupid and destructive war in Iraq.

[Douglas Carpenter]

6. you have an interesting thought there

Ever since this story broke I've be puzzling over in my mind as to why on earth would Olmert even consider doing this; and why now? However, under any reasonable scenario neither Israel or the United States could possibly achieve regime change and disarmament of Iran without courting disaster. However if it would be possible to bring Saudi and the Gulf states into some sort of quasi unofficial alliance with Israel (one that would be officially denied-no doubt) not for an attack on Iran but to counter Iran's growing ambitions to achieve leadership in the Middle East--a possible motive does kind of make sense. Thank you

[bemildred]

7. The US/Israel are screwed in Iran.

They screwed themselves really, by being so belligerent without the wherewithal to back it up.

They are also screwed in Lebanon, Hizbullah is in the process of seizing control of the Lebanese state.

Syria is feeling emboldened.

The choices in Iraq are all bad.

Afghanistan is going the way of Iraq.

The effort to strangle and/or hamstring Hamas seems to have failed.

Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have severe internal issues.

The Jihadis are feeling emboldened and very full of themselves anywhere you look.

The utility of military force to improve the situation is effectively nil, although it is useful as a deterrent. The Second Lebanese War had the effect of reducing the Israeli deterrent, as happens whenever a military operation is seen to be badly done. There is no reasonable expectation that one could remedy the loss using the same military organization in some similar way, without first making substantial internal reforms, retraining, re-equiping, etc. which must take months and years, assuming it can be done at all.

The Israeli state, while not as disfunctional as the Palestinian "government", has a similar problem in the divided and faint allegiance that it inspires in those that would be otherwise be inclined to support it.

You can hear loud coughs and harrumphing all over the Sunni world about the access to political power of Shiite leaders.

Mr. Olmert needs allies.