Saudi Arabia signaled on Monday that it is unlikely to accept an Israeli invitation to a regional peace conference, saying that Israeli regime must first stop mistreating Palestinians and move to withdraw from Arab lands. A strongly worded statement by the Saudi Cabinet said the Arabs made their commitment to peace clear at a summit last week in Riyadh, where they renewed a broad land-for-peace offer to Israel, AP reported. "Israel should understand that peace requires it to put an end to violations, repression and constant inhuman practices against the Palestinian people before any other matter," the Cabinet said.
The statement did not refer directly to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's public invitation to Saudi King Abdullah and other "moderate" Arab leaders to meet with him and discuss their ideas for peace. But the Saudi Cabinet made clear the kingdom is not likely to make any gesture toward Israel unless it initiates significant progress toward establishing a Palestinian state and giving up captured Arab lands.
Olmert specifically called on Saudi Arabia on Sunday to take the lead in holding a regional conference, the first time Israeli regime has made such a request of the Saudis, who maintain a state of war with Israel but are pushing for a peace deal.
The Arab peace initiative offers Israel a comprehensive peace with all Arab states if it withdraws from lands seized in the 1967 war and allows the creation of a Palestinian state with its capital in east Al-Quds (Jerusalem). It also calls for a "just solution" for Palestinian refugees. Olmert welcomed the summit's renewal of the offer but said Israel did not accept all parts of the plan. Israel wants to retain some settlements in the West Bank, objects to a Palestinian capital in east Al-Quds and opposes the return of Palestinian refugees to their homeland.