Special U.S. Envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, was in Egypt today, where he called on Arab states to fully normalize relations with Israel. Mitchell said that normalizing relations with Israel would set the "context" for a wider, comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace effort. He clarified his remarks by stating:
By comprehensive I mean peace between Israel and Palestinians, between Israel and Syria, between Israel and Lebanon and the full normalisation of relations between Israel and the countries of the region.However, Mitchell did say that he wanted to see "meaningful steps by individual countries."
We're not asking anyone to achieve full normalisation at this time, we recognise that will come further down the road in this process.
Before travelling to Egypt, Mithcell was in Israel and Syria on Sunday, where he met with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Tel Aviv and President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, respectively. In Syria, Mitchell called restarting talks between Syria and Israel a "near-term goal" for the United States. Mitchell, like in Egypt, put Israeli-Syrian negotiations in the context of a larger regional peace agreement:
If we are to succeed, we will need Arabs and Israelis alike to work with us to bring about comprehensive peace. We will welcome the full cooperation of the government of the Syrian Arab Republic in this historic endeavor.Privately, Syrian officials have said that their government is working on bringing Hamas to a more accomadating position in the contuining Palestinian political reconciliation talks. The same officials also claimed responsibility for urging a number of Hamas leaders to say that they would accept a peace agreement within the 1967 borders.
Arab League chief Amr Moussa responded to Mitchell's call for normalization by saying, "There will be no Arab steps before Israel stops its policy of settlement building." After meeting with Barak in Israel on Sunday, reports have emerged that the United States is close to a deal with Israel to freeze settlements, in which a few settlements in the advanced stages of construction would be allowed to be built, while all others would be frozen for an undetermined period of time.
Netanyahu's response to Mitchell's visit took a more conciliatory tone than past statements. He said:
We are trying to reach understandings on various issues so that we can, together, advance our common goals: peace, security and prosperity for all of the Middle East.This was a more welcoming gesture than a week ago, when Netanyahu stated that Israel would never freeze settlement building in East Jerusalem.
Mr. Mitchell will meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah later in the week.
Gates in Israel: Reassures Barak on IranWhile meeting with his counterpart in Israel, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates stated that U.S. overtures to Iran are "not an open-ended offer." Secretary Gates said he hoped to hear Iran's reply to President Obama's offer of negotiations by the opening of the UN General Assembly in September. Secretary Gates's visit to Israel was his first in two and a half years. He is expected to head to Jordan tomorrow. Although the visit has been called "routine," many have said that Gates is in Israel to ressure the government about U.S. policy towards Iran, a nation that Israel considers destabilizing to the region.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak responded to Gates's statements on Iran by saying that Israel is keeping all options on the table. At the press conference in Jerusalem, Barak said:
We clearly believe that no option should be removed from the table. This is our policy. We mean it. We recommend to others to take the same position but we cannot dictate it to anyone.However, Barak did clarify his position by noting that diplomacy should be the first option in ensuring that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons. In the past, U.S. Defense Department officials have said that any Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would only inflame the situation.
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement that highlighted poitns of agreement between the United States and Israel on Iranian policy:
Secretary Gates stated that the U.S. and Israel see eye-to-eye regarding the Iranian nuclear threat and explained that the U.S. engagement with Tehran will not be open-ended.HEADLINES
Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated the seriousness to which Israel views Iran's nuclear ambitions and the need to utilize all available means to prevent Iran from achieving a nuclear weapons capability.
IDF: More than 300,000 settlers live in West Bank (Ha'aretz)
Lebanese foreign ministry blames Israeli ammunition for south blast (Xinhua)
Hamas Shifts From Rockets to Culture War (New York Times)
Rightists plan to erect 11 new West Bank outposts (Ha'aretz)
Miliband urges Arab Peace Plan approval (Jerusalem Post)
Palestine and the Palestinians
PNA denies knowledge of U.S. bids to hold Mideast peace conference (Xinhua)
Gaza tunnel collapse kills at least four: medics (AFP)
Palestinian teens pose as IDF soldiers (Ynet)
Fatah says Hamas blocks lawmakers from leaving Gaza (Reuters)
PNA denies knowledge of U.S. bids to hold Mideast peace conference (Xinhua)
Gaza tunnel collapse kills at least four: medics (AFP)
US transfers $200 million in aid to Palestinians (AP)
Eldad, Elkin want Palestinian cars off Hebron road (Jerusalem Post)
Israel
Israel confirms first swine flu death (AP)
Netanyahu: Israel wants 'understanding' with US (AP)
Israel sets up investigation response committee (JTA)
Israel prepares for Goldstone report (Jerusalem Post)
Israel likely to probe alleged money-laundering network (Jerusalem Post)
Mofaz: Netanyahu bending rules of Israeli democracy (Ha'aretz)
Poll Shows Israelis Suspicious of US-Sponsored Peace Process (Voice of America)
Jews protest Arab construction in Israel (CNN)
Israel religious party hits out at US over settlements (AFP)
The Neighbors
Report: Beirut blames Israeli weapons for S. Lebanon blast (Ha'aretz)
Egypt refers Hezbollah cell to emergency court (Xinhua)
Nasrallah warns Israel preparing for next war (Daily Star)
Nasrallah warns Israel over future war (Gulf News)
'Poll gains' for Kurdish opposition (Al Jazeera)
Downturn hits Suez Canal revenues (Al Jazeera)
Iran plunges into fresh political turmoil, minister sacked (Gulf News)
More than half of Lebanese see US in positive light, Pew poll reveals (Daily Star)
US Foreign Policy
Eight US Congress members enter Gaza Strip (Ma'an)
West Bank: U.S. Aids Palestinians in Budget Crisis (New York Times)
Gates due in Amman today (Jordan Times)
International Relations/Law
British Lawmakers: Government Should Engage Hamas (Voice of America)
Thai officials arrive in Israel for airport security tour (Jerusalem Post)
Israel, Brazil spar over nuclear ambitions in Middle East (AFP)
Italian journalists offer to mediate Israel's return to IFJ (Jerusalem Post)
ADL slams UN chief Ban for addressing anti-Israel committee on Palestinian rights (Jerusalem Post)
Arts and Activism
Palestinians march to urge unity agreement (Xinhua)
Palestinian supporters protesting Leonard Cohen (JTA)
Sexuality and the national struggle - being Palestinian and gay in Israel (Menassat)
Misc.
Richest woman's 'visions' claim amuses Israelis (AP)
In 2 West Bank Settlements, Sign of Hope for a Deal (New York Times)
Report: Facebook removes Ismail Haniyeh fan page (Ha'aretz)
Commentary
Owens: The President Takes a Hard Line on Israel (Wall Street Journal)
Carroll: A shared Jerusalem (Boston Globe)
Levine: Syria key to regional power shift (Al-Jazeera English)
Dreyfuss: Real peace -- or a mirage? (The Nation)
Kysia: Gaza: On the right of resistance (Counterunch)
Al-Naami: Empty words (Al-Ahram)
Amayreh: The Kaddumi bombshell (Al-Ahram)
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