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Thursday, May 7, 2009
Abbas to give U.S. 'complete' peace plan [no concession on return of refugess or Jerusalem]

Abbas to give U.S. 'complete' peace plan
By Yoav Stern and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents Last update - 07:56
07/05/2009
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1083792.html

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday that he and his
Egyptian counterpart planned to present the Obama administration with a
complete formula for resolving the Middle East conflict.

The Palestinian Authority and several Arab states are developing a plan to
be submitted to U.S. President Barack Obama that would provide for gestures
to Israel in return for Israeli concessions to the Palestinians. The plan is
designed to show Arab flexibility in the face of what they view as
anticipated intransigence on the part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Palestinian sources in Ramallah said on Wednesday that they expect the Obama
administration to force a new peace plan of its own on Israel and the
Palestinians next month, which would be developed in consultation with the
parties to the conflict but not necessarily with their agreement.

The American plan would, however, have the support of the European Union,
the United Nations and Russia, said the sources. It would deal with a final
settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, including relations with Syria and
Lebanon. It would also mention the establishment of full diplomatic
relations between Israel and Arab states.

The plan will only be finalized after U.S. President Obama's upcoming
meetings with Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The plan is not expected to address the
Iranian issue, which will be handled separately by the Americans.

A senior Palestinian official, Yasser Abed Rabbo, told Haaretz by phone from
Jordan on Wednesday that the Palestinians believe the Americans are
determined to pursue peace in the Middle East.

Abbas met with Mubarak in Cairo as part of an effort to coordinate the Arab
position with regard to the United States. A major topic of discussion in
the talks was the nature of Arab goodwill gestures toward Israel and what
the Arabs would demand of Israel.

An informed source said the Palestinians are interested in bringing the Arab
countries into the negotiations as a "third party," in anticipation that it
would strengthen the Palestinian position vis-a-vis the United States.

The Palestinians are interested in demonstrating initiative on the part of
the Arab states, including renewed involvement by an Arab League delegation
in direct talks with Israel as well as other gestures demonstrating
normalization.

Meanwhile, Arab sources told Haaretz on Wednesday that any renewed
involvement in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict would be based on the 2002
Saudi peace initiative without changes.

The sources' statement contradicted reports released in the pan-Arab Al Quds
Al Arabi newspaper on Tuesday to the effect that the Arabs were considering
concessions to Israel on the right of return of Palestinian refugees and on
the transfer of the Old City of Jerusalem to UN control.

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