| Submit your comments on this article |
| Middle East |
| Saudis would recognize Israel in return for withdrawal |
| 2002-02-18 |
âFull withdrawal from all the occupied territories, in accord with UN resolutions, including Jerusalem, for full normalization of relations,â Prince Abdullah told the US dailyâs Thomas Friedman. In his interview, the crown prince revealed that he had written a speech along those lines to deliver before the 22-member Arab League in March, but shelved it when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon took a harsher stance against the Palestinians. âI changed my mind about delivering it when Sharon took the violence, and the oppression, to an unprecedented level,â Friedman quoted the crown prince as saying. The quotes came from an off-the-record dinner conversation, which Prince Abdullah later agreed could be placed on the record. Prince Abdullah told the New York Times columnist he wanted to communicate to the Israelis that the Arab world did not âreject or despise themâ. What they reject is Sharonâs actions. âThe Arab people do reject what their (Israeli) leadership is now doing to the Palestinians, which is inhumane and oppressive,â Prince Abdullah said, adding that his speech would have been âa possible signal to the Israeli people.â Asked whether he would be prepared to revive his proposal if Sharon and the Palestinians were to agree to a cease-fire before next monthâs Arab summit, the crown prince responded: âLet me say to you that the speech is written, and it is still in my drawer.â Interesting proposition, especially since it's carried by the Arab News. If the Israelis were to bite, and the Saudis to follow through, it would cut the Gordian knot and Abdullah (and Friedman) would be heroes, since we've reached the point of impasse. The part about not rejecting and despising the Israelis kind of flies in the face of what the clerics - and Abdullah - have been spewing, but since it's an on-the-record statement it's something he could be held to. It looks like this might actually be something new and significant. It's highly doubtful that Israel would ever agree to withdraw to their 1967 borders, and they shouldn't. The pre-67 border left them horribly exposed to attack from their Arab neighbors -- and after decades of double-dealing and agreement-breaking I don't think the Israelis will simply trust them to give up their genocidal goals. I suspect it'll be the latter more than the former that casuses them to pass on the offer. If they do. They have a fairly vocal "peace lobby," too. The Saudis know the Israeli's won't accept this offer for the reasons Charles has listed. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |