US official: 1967 borders are basis for negotiations

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to negotiate the future of Jerusalem, a US official said Thursday. An Israeli official confirmed that that Israel was ready to negotiate Jerusalem, seen as the most sensitive bone of contention that the sides need to settle.

But he added the issue had not yet been brought up in the talks between the sides.

US Consul General in Jerusalem Jake Walles said the parties are negotiating the establishment of a Palestinian state on the basis of the borders that existed before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, in which Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan and the Gaza Strip from Egypt.

They have agreed that the basis for the negotiations are the 1967 borders, which includes the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and part of the Dead Sea, Walles said in an interview published in the Ramallah-based al-Ayyam.

He said the sides have also agreed to make some changes to the 1967 border in agreement between both sides.

Israel had been pushing for an agreement that would leave out the highly-sensitive issue of Jerusalem, but the Palestinians had insisted on agreement dealing with all of the core issues of their mutual conflict."

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[LeftishBrit]

1. Good. Whatever decision is made, you can't have a proper agreement without discussing all issues.