Israel offers peace concessions to Palestinians

[cali]

-- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered wide-ranging concessions if the Palestinians turn away from violence, saying Monday that they would be able to achieve an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza through real peace talks with Israel.

In what was billed in advance as a major policy speech, Olmert tried to entice the Palestinians to return to long-stalled peace talks with promises of an immediate improvement in their lives: promising to reduce checkpoints, release frozen funds and free prisoners in exchange for a serious Palestinian push for peace.

"I hold out my hand in peace to our Palestinian neighbors in the hope that it won't be returned empty," Olmert said.

Directly addressing the Palestinians in some of his most conciliatory remarks since winning election in March, Olmert described Israel as willing to make far-reaching concessions if the Palestinians choose peace.

<snip>


http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/11/27/israel.olmert.ap/

For the first time in a long time, I feel a breath of hope. Wouldn't it be extraordinary if peace were achieved with hardliners in power in both Israel and Palestine?

[NJmaverick]

1. Good for Israel

I wish them the best of luck with this venture. I am firm believer that this is the sort of direction they need to go in, in order to achieve peace and security.

[pelsar]

2. its the hardliners that have to do it....

just as it was begin who could give back the sinai to egypt and sharon gaza...nobody with "left" credentials could do it. Its pretty simple: when the "hardliner does it, he has the backing of the left/center and neutralizes the right (fractures them)....that leaves only a small minority against.

Olmert has those credentials...(as well as a few more that may not be relevant), and hamas...well, i have a hard time trusting religious fanatics of any color, so i admit i have a problem with him (but i can get over it....)

[originalpckelly]

5. His name is Abbas, not hamas...

:eyes:

Here is more information about him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Abbas

And his party is secular:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatah

[cali]

6. Perhaps before you

go around telling people that they need to do more research, or that they're mistaking the organization Hamas for Abbas, you might consider acquainting yourself more fully with the cast of characters who post regularly here. As pelsar lives in Israel, and as he's posted about Abbas, I think it's safe to conclude that he knows the difference.

[Boston Critic]

10. Hamas it is

Hamas is the name of the party controlling the Palestinian government. Abbas is a weak, at best, figurehead.

Hamas has said it will never recognize Israel, rejects peaceful co-existence, and renounces all previously made agreements.

[breakaleg]

3. This is a step in the right direction. Let's hope Israel is really willing to move

on the settlements.

[cali]

4. Yep.

That's a big one, as is the need for Palestinians to give up a broad right of return.

[breakaleg]

7. Agreed. Although

I read recently that although according to the broadest possible classification there may be a large number of Palestinians who would qualify for right of return, the number of people who would exercize that right are much smaller. I read a number between 750,000 - 1M people.

Is there a number that Israel is thinking of as an upper limit? I'm just wondering how far apart both sides are.

[idontwantaname]

8. just for arguments sake

as i dont have a position either way on RoR, but why would the palestinians need to give it up, but its "ok" for the state of israel to import as many "people seeking their homeland (in the west bank (from NY))" as possible? isnt that concept the basis for the founding of the state? to request one side not exercise that option but while you take full advantage of it doesnt seem... "fair"

[cali]

9. If you're suggesting

that it's not right for the Israelis to establish settlements in the WB, I agree, but I'm not clear that that's what you are suggesting. Perhaps you could elaborate.

[Boston Critic]

11. Let's just hope the Palestiians are FINALLY...

...ready to stop the terrorism.

That's the real stumbling block, and the threats made by Hamas leaders to start another Intifada are not encouraging.