Jerusalem - Nasser Alasaad
Sources in the Cabinet Office of the Israeli occupation government told Israel Radio said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acquiesced to the U.S Agreement adopted by the International Quartet Committee to resume negotiations with the Palestinians. The Agreement states that the foundation of the negotiations and the main point of discussion should be the borders of 1967, in addition to agreeing on exchanging land between the two parties. A political source however has clarified this telling Israel Radio that although Israel has accepted the above Agreement, it is remaining very private, as a way of holding itself back from some of the International propositions. The Radio station drew attention to the fact that Israel has told the U.S management about its feelings regarding this matter. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said: “Israel is still trying to find an Agreement which allows resuming negotiations with the Palestinians through an understanding with members of the International Quartet Committee.” Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that President Shimon Peres has recently been in intensive contact with the Palestinian leadership in order to resume negotiations, and to prevent a ‘crisis’ from happening after two months as expected, because of the Palestinians’ intention of getting the United Nations recognition as an independent state on the 1967 borders. Negotiations between Israel and Palestine stopped last October after only 4 weeks of talks under US sponsorship. Palestinian Authorities are determined to request the General Assembly of the United Nations this September to recognize Palestine as an independent country on the 1967 borders. Both Israel and the US are against this move.