My apologies for neglecting today’s blog posting until a relatively late hour. I invite readers to go online to read two articles at the Mideast Web site for an important discussion on the Arab League peace initiative by Walid Salem and Ami Isseroff.
The key issues: does the Arab peace initiative allow for substantive negotiations or is it a dictate, an all-or-nothing proposition? Most importantly, are the Arabs ready to give up on the Palestinian right of return, which in practice would nullify the right of the Jewish people to national self-determination, or is this still being held over Israel as an existential threat? From Foreign Minister Livni’s recent talks with Egyptian President Mubarak, we are finally getting a sense that Israel may be taking this peace initiative seriously. There is even more hope now in pending talks with Israel by Arab League foreign ministers to explain their proposal.
I liked the post and included it in a recent post of mine about the Saudi Initiative / Arab League peace proposal.