 |
 |
 |
|
|
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By Israel Insider staff August 7, 2007 |
|
| |
 Bookmark to del.icio.us |
| |
As Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday discussed plans for a Palestinian state PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, a new report claimed that Olmert is considering new plans that will give the Palestinians 95 percent of the West Bank and compensate the PA for the missing five percent with an equivalent amount of land in Israel.
"Exchanges between the two sides will become increasingly more substantive, and will deal less with routine matters," a senior political source in Jerusalem said Monday, according to Haaretz.
The prime minister was also reported exploring the possibility of exchanging Arab settlement blocs within Israel, with the residents' consent. Surveys have shown that a sizable number of Arab-Israelis consider themselves Palestinians, although it is not certain how many would agree the potential territory exchange.
The plan's approval reported would allow Israel Beitenu party leader Avigdor Lieberman to remain in the coalition.
Olmert's office denied the Haaretz report. A statement issued by his Media Adviser was issued: "In response to the main headline in this morning's Ha'aretz, we do not know of any plan as described in the article. We would like to clarify that such a plan has not been considered, nor is it being raised for discussion in any forum. We express our amazement at this erroneous article, which was published without any attempt being made to ascertain from us its accuracy."
Aides to Shimon Peres, however, confirmed the report, according to Haaretz.
53 percent of Israelis oppose a sweeping withdrawal from the West Bank, according to collaborative surveys by several research institutes, Haaretz reported.
"The negotiations on renewing the diplomatic talks between the two sides have reached fruition," Saeb Erekat, head of the PLO negotiating team said Monday. "What we now need is decisions by the two leaders. We do not need to do anything new for a regional summit, but to clarify the existing initiatives and the signed agreements. We support the Arab [League] initiative and the road map as the basis for this summit."
Abbas thanked Olmert for releasing 255 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, part of the prime minister's goodwill gestures aimed at bolstering Abbas. The chairman said he hoped that the next step would result in the freeing of more prisoners. However nearly 60 percent of Israelis said they were against the move, according to Haaretz.
"We have decided to expand the negotiations between us in order to advance mutual understanding, and formulate the framework that will allow us to move forward toward establishing a Palestinian state," Olmert said. "Our mutual goal is to realize the shared vision between us and [U.S. President George] Bush regarding the establishment of two states for two peoples, who live side by side in security and peace. We want to achieve this as soon as possible."
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
