Israel - Palestine
Abbas, Olmert meet, discuss settlement freeze
Friday, December 28, 2007
Although Israeli PM Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas didn't reach an agreement concerning a freeze in Israeli settlements during a two-hour long meeting, they agreed to carry on with negociations.
Friday, December 28, 2007
By Reuters
JERUSALEM, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert balked on Thursday at committing to a total freeze in
settlement activity, a key demand of Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas for advancing U.S.-backed peace talks.
Olmert balked on Thursday at committing to a total freeze in
settlement activity, a key demand of Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas for advancing U.S.-backed peace talks.
But the leaders agreed during their two-hour meeting to
press ahead with negotiations that have been paralysed since
Israel announced plans to build hundreds of new homes in an area
near Jerusalem known to Israelis as Har Homa and to Palestinians
as Jabal Abu Ghneim.
press ahead with negotiations that have been paralysed since
Israel announced plans to build hundreds of new homes in an area
near Jerusalem known to Israelis as Har Homa and to Palestinians
as Jabal Abu Ghneim.
"We won't agree with the Palestinians on every issue on day
one," Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said after the meeting at
Olmert's Jerusalem residence. "The Palestinians have their
positions. We have ours. And the commitment is to work to
overcome gaps."
one," Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said after the meeting at
Olmert's Jerusalem residence. "The Palestinians have their
positions. We have ours. And the commitment is to work to
overcome gaps."
The meeting between Olmert and Abbas was their first since a
U.S. peace conference last month in Annapolis, Maryland, in
which the leaders launched final-status negotiations with the
goal of reaching a statehood agreement before U.S. President
George W. Bush leaves office in January 2009.
U.S. peace conference last month in Annapolis, Maryland, in
which the leaders launched final-status negotiations with the
goal of reaching a statehood agreement before U.S. President
George W. Bush leaves office in January 2009.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Abbas sought a halt
to all settlement activity, including so-called natural growth,
as spelled out in the long-stalled "road map" peace plan.
to all settlement activity, including so-called natural growth,
as spelled out in the long-stalled "road map" peace plan.
While Olmert agreed not to take any steps that might
prejudice the outcome of the negotiations, he reiterated
Israel's position on building within Har Homa, Regev said.
prejudice the outcome of the negotiations, he reiterated
Israel's position on building within Har Homa, Regev said.
A senior Israeli official added: "The prime minister has not
promised to freeze (housing) tenders that have already been
published and are already under way."
promised to freeze (housing) tenders that have already been
published and are already under way."
Bush will visit the region early next month but it is
unclear how Olmert and Abbas, weakened politically at home, can
bridge their differences.
unclear how Olmert and Abbas, weakened politically at home, can
bridge their differences.
Ahead of Bush's arrival, Israel is considering easing
criteria for freeing Palestinian prisoners, a move one Israeli
official said could pave the way for the release of uprising
leader Marwan Barghouthi, seen as a possible successor to Abbas.
criteria for freeing Palestinian prisoners, a move one Israeli
official said could pave the way for the release of uprising
leader Marwan Barghouthi, seen as a possible successor to Abbas.
Easing Israeli restrictions on releasing prisoners with
so-called "blood on their hands", a reference to attacks against
Israelis, was part of efforts to secure a swap deal with Hamas
for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
so-called "blood on their hands", a reference to attacks against
Israelis, was part of efforts to secure a swap deal with Hamas
for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
INTERPRETING THE ROAD MAP
The Palestinians argue that the road map's explicit call for
a halt to all settlement activity means all Israeli building on
occupied land, including within Har Homa, is prohibited.
a halt to all settlement activity means all Israeli building on
occupied land, including within Har Homa, is prohibited.
Israel has a different interpretation of the road map,
arguing that construction within built-up areas of existing
settlements is permissible as long as no new settlements are
built and no additional occupied lands are confiscated.
arguing that construction within built-up areas of existing
settlements is permissible as long as no new settlements are
built and no additional occupied lands are confiscated.
Olmert told Abbas the Palestinians must meet their own road
map commitments to rein in militants in the West Bank and the
Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, a condition set by Israel for
establishing a Palestinian state, officials said.
map commitments to rein in militants in the West Bank and the
Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, a condition set by Israel for
establishing a Palestinian state, officials said.
Hamas seized Gaza in June after routing Abbas's secular
Fatah forces, and militants use the coastal territory to fire
rockets into Israel. Israel killed at least four Gaza
militants on Thursday during and after the Olmert-Abbas meeting.
Fatah forces, and militants use the coastal territory to fire
rockets into Israel. Israel killed at least four Gaza
militants on Thursday during and after the Olmert-Abbas meeting.
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said Olmert's refusal to halt
all settlement activity proved "the pointlessness of the
negotiations".
all settlement activity proved "the pointlessness of the
negotiations".
Palestinians see the building of Har Homa as the last
rampart in a wall of settlements encircling Arab East Jerusalem,
cutting it off from Bethlehem and the rest of the occupied West
Bank. They say it is a strategic move by Israel to pre-empt any
possibility of East Jerusalem becoming the Palestinian capital.
rampart in a wall of settlements encircling Arab East Jerusalem,
cutting it off from Bethlehem and the rest of the occupied West
Bank. They say it is a strategic move by Israel to pre-empt any
possibility of East Jerusalem becoming the Palestinian capital.
Israel's Har Homa plan has also drawn rare criticism from
the United States, Israel's key ally. Construction at the same
settlement derailed a previous round of talks in 1997.
the United States, Israel's key ally. Construction at the same
settlement derailed a previous round of talks in 1997.
In addition to Har Homa, Israel has announced plans for new
building within the Maale Adumim settlement which the Jewish
state hopes to keep as part of any final peace deal.
building within the Maale Adumim settlement which the Jewish
state hopes to keep as part of any final peace deal.
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