Netanyahu Offers No Advance in Peace Talks

Published November 09, 2009

| WSJ

WASHINGTON -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called for an "immediate" resumption of Middle East peace talks, but Palestinian and Arab leaders responded coolly to the speech, which had been seen by the White House as an opportunity for new concessions by Israel.

Netanyahu's address, delivered hours ahead of a meeting with President Barack Obama, came as concerns mounted in Washington and Arab capitals that the Obama administration's plan to promote Mideast peace was unraveling.

"I want to be clear: My goal is not to have endless negotiations. My goal is not negotiations for negotiations sake. My goal is to reach a peace treaty, and soon," Netanyahu told a gathering in Washington of the Jewish Federations of North America. "I want to assure you, Israel is willing to make great concessions for peace."

The Israeli leader appealed to his Palestinian counterpart: "So I say today to the leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas: Let us seize the moment to reach an historic agreement. Let us begin talks immediately."

Netanyahu didn't offer any new commitment about Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem -- which the Palestinians have demanded be fully stopped as a precondition for peace talks -- or list any specific terms for holding new negotiations.

"We had an idea that he might bring something out to push the process forward," one U.S. official said. "But he's kept it in his pocket." The official said the U.S. side had hoped Netanyahu would unveil a more detailed proposal for restraining the settlements.

The Israeli leader also appeared to resist U.S. pressure to give stronger support for discussions on an independent Palestinian state -- the so-called "two-state solution." He said he was committed to two states living side by side, but suggested that key Palestinian demands for negotiations over East Jerusalem and the right of return for Palestinian refugees wouldn't be on the table.

U.S. officials said the White House had held off until late Sunday firming up Netanyahu's meeting with Mr. Obama, in an effort to pressure the Israeli leader to take a more conciliatory line.

After the meeting Monday night, the White House issued only a brief statement saying the president and Netanyahu discussed a number of issues in the U.S.-Israel bilateral relationship, as well as how to move forward on Middle East peace.

Palestinian and Arab leaders on Monday discounted the speech, saying it didn't differ substantively from past addresses. Palestinian Authority officials reiterated that negotiations with Israel couldn't resume without a complete settlement freeze.

"Palestinians still find it difficult to resume negotiating the end of the occupation while the other party is busy consolidating this occupation by expanding settlements," said Palestinian Authority spokesman Ghassan Khatib.

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