Arab Peace Initiative expects Israel to show action
Regional-Israel-USA, Politics, 4/2/2007

Reaffirmation of the 2002 Arab initiative offering Israel recognition and permanent peace in exchange for a withdrawal from territory captured in 1967 and a resolution to the issue of Palestinian refugees is "very positive," according to US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

Speaking to reporters March 29, McCormack said the initiative is "an effort to reach out, to be constructive on an issue of interest to all the countries of the region, and we are encouraged by this development and we certainly welcome it."

He urged the Arab League to use the initiative, first proposed by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, as "a basis for active diplomacy."

The initiative calls for open direct negotiations between Arab states and Israel. Israel has said it could accept the offer with some changes, mainly due to its opposition to a full withdrawal from the West Bank and east Jerusalem, as well as concern about an influx of a large number of Palestinian refugees inside its borders.

The Arab League, meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, also discussed forming committees to explain its initiative to parties involved in Arab-Israeli peace efforts, including the Middle East Quartet (United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia), the Group of Eight (G8) nations, and other interested parties in the region.

The G8 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia.

McCormack encouraged the Arab states to "use this as a moment to reach out and try to explain to all interested parties the nature of their initiative and the thinking behind their deciding to re-launch this initiative."

During her recent visit to the region, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told leaders that it will be "very important for the Arab states to play an active role in promoting the cause of peace in the region," McCormack had said.

"It's their initiative," he said. "We are not and have not asked them to amend it. It is up for them to decide the scope and details."

Today, the Los Angeles Times reported that in a strongly worded statement "Saudi Arabia signaled Monday it is unlikely to accept an Israeli invitation to a regional peace conference, saying that Israel must first stop mistreating Palestinians and move to withdraw from Arab lands."

The Los Angeles times added that the Saudi Cabinet made it clear the kingdom "is not likely to make any gesture toward Israel" unless Israel shows clear progress in these regards.

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