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| By israelinsider staff April 4, 2007 |
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A Saudi official said Monday that Israel should withdraw to the 1967 borders and help in the creation of a Palestinian state before any Arab countries recognize it, the Associated Press reported.
This was the first Saudi statement on the topic of the peace agreement since Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert invited "moderate" Arab leaders to discuss their ideas with Israel and called on Saudi Arabia to initiate the discussion.
On Sunday, Olmert said that if King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia were to invite him, PA President Mahmoud Abbas, and moderate Arab leaders to a meeting "to present Saudi Arabia's ideas before us, we will come to hear them and be glad to offer our ideas," the Associated Press reported.
Olmert's request was the first of its kind, as Saudi Arabia officially maintains a state of war with Israel.
The Saudi official, on condition of anonymity, said in response to Olmert's request that Israel would have to accept the Saudi peace plan, which includes the right of return for Palestinians and a withdrawal to the 1967 borders, before any discussion would be considered.
At last week's Arab League Summit in the Saudi kingdom, the League reiterated its support for the 2002 Saudi peace initiative.
Prime Minister Olmert has expressed his approval of the initiative as a starting point for negotiations, but has said that Israel cannot accept all parts of the plan as it calls for the Palestinian right of return. |
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