Saudi Arabia rejects an American proposal to start normalization with Israel
Saudi Arabia-Israel, Politics, 6/4/2003

News reports from Sharm Esh Sheikh said that Saudi Arabia, the creator of the renowned Arab initiative to settle the Arab- Israeli conflict, refused a proposal made by President George W. Bush during the consultation meeting with the Arab leaders to start Arab normalization with Israel before starting practical steps to the implementation of the Roadmap which is conducive to the foundation of the Palestinian state.

The Saudi delegation was led by the Saudi ArabiaÕs Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz who debated his peace initiative in 2002 and was adopted by all Arabs during the recent Arab Beirut summit.

The consultation meeting which preceded the work of the summit, in addition to Bush each of Saudi crown prince, the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the Jordanian King Abdullah II, the King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

A source close to the meeting said that "the Arabs showed hesitation towards giving free concessions." For its part, sources that took part in the talks between the US secretary of state Colin Powell and his Arab counterparts, participants in the summit, reported that Powell asked for these concessions during a preliminary meeting upon the convening of the Arab- American summit with his Egyptian, Saudi, Jordanian, Bahraini and Palestinian counterparts.

The sources said that Powell expressed his "satisfaction" during the meeting over the Arabs' approval of the roadmap, but he considered it is very necessary to take tangible steps to encourage the normalization of relations with Israel. Powell explained that "hurrying to normalizing relations will be conducive to encouraging the Israeli government to proceed forward in the peace process."

Powell continued that among the participants there are three sides which had established peace with Israel ( Egypt which summoned its ambassador, Jordan and the Palestinians ), however the US wants more than that.

The sources indicated that the Arab ministers especially the Saudi foreign minister prince Saud al-Faisal announced they support total normalization between all Arab states with Israel, rather that making this on an individual basis, and this will be for the restoration of the occupied lands and Israel's recognition of the Palestinian state. However, the Arab side stressed commitment to Crown Prince Abdullah's initiative, stressing that the "more Israel responds, the more we proceed forward into peace."

A source close to an Arab delegation reported that the participating Arab states at Sharm Esh Sheikh summit "agree on purifying the atmosphere between Israel and the Arab states but under the condition that ( Israel) will recognize a Palestinian state."

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