U.S., Israel inch closer to deal on settlement freeze

[shaayecanaan]

U.S., Israel inch closer to deal on settlement freeze

U.S. envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell arrived in Israel Sunday and met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak as part of an ongoing effort to reach an agreement on construction in the settlements. The two are reportedly close to a deal in which Washington would allow a limited number of projects in advanced stages of construction to be completed, but Israel would freeze all other building for an as-yet undetermined period of time.

My comment: this is an excellent result. The exemption for projects already in an advanced stage of construction was always likely to happen, and in large part applies to buildings that are already nearing completion. Mitchell is very capable negotiator and will no doubt ensure that "advanced stages of construction" doesn't become the boondoggle that "natural growth" was allowed to be.

Its a good outcome and shows the merit of Obama's approach, IMO.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1103115.html

[Ken Burch]

1. This is good news

If the Israeli government is willing to do this, it's a good first step and I salute them for it.

[shaayecanaan]

3. Aye...

Presumably if the Palestinians are happy with this (they should be) then both parties should be ready to start final status negotiations (again).

Presumably.

[shira]

4. I fear that this agreement isn't quite good enough for regional Arab leadership and that they'll

blame Obama for caving in....thus Obama is no better than any other US administration, etc.

[Sezu]

5. The odds are with you given that previous concessions have

NEVER been enough for those Arab leaderships.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

6. Well, no, of course they haven't.

And, of course, merely stopping expanding - as opposed to shrinking - the settlements won't be enough to make peace either; no-one on either side suggests it will.

The question is whether it will be enough to convince the Arab leadership that Obama has a tight enough grip on Netanyahu's scrotum to make negotiating with him worthwhile.

And that, I think, will depend on how much expansion it leaves actually going on - it's clear that this won't actually be a settlement freeze, just a fall in the rate of expansion, but if it's moderately close to one it might be enough.

I'm not optimistic, though - my guess is that Netanyahu's goal is to get the Americans off his back without needing to risk having to make actual territorial concessions, and that he'll be careful to keep plenty of expansion going on either through loopholes or through just not enforcing the deal.

[shaayecanaan]

7. They'd have to be mad (the Palestinians)

to pass this one up. Camp David I didnt work because Menachem Begin was willing to push the cart, it worked because Jimmy Carter was willing to do so. No state wants to risk having a $5 bn dollar hole being blown in their budget.

my guess is that Netanyahu's goal is to get the Americans off his back

It depends on whether Obama will be happy with that.

Obama has spent real political capital on this issue. Its a lay down misere play - if it works and he seals a deal, no one will remember how hard he had to kick Israel's arse to get there. If it doesnt then he has pissed off a domestic constituency for effectively nothing.

It would be good to see the Palestinians grasp this with both hands.

[Name removed]

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[azurnoir]

8. Mitchell: Normalization part of US peace plan

Bethlehem - Ma’an - Top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and US Middle East Envoy George Mitchell met for a live news conference Monday and clarified state expectations around future peace talks.

On the issue of the continued construction of Israeli settlements, Erekat, who earlier in the day expressed his doubt over whether the US would be able to halt construction, let alone force Israel to pull back to the 1967 borders, said “this was never a Palestinian precondition but actually an Israeli obligation”

Mitchell, who confirmed that he spoke earlier Monday with Palestinain President Mahmoud Abbas, said, “on behalf of president Obama I reiterated that it is American policy to seek peace in the region.” A peace, he elaborated, which includes normalization with Israel and Arab states.

“All involved must take steps to see an early return to negotiations and a prompt resolution of the conflict,” he said, “even if they are difficult or controversial.

Mitchell will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem Tuesday.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=215083