Israel Matzav: The end of the 'peace process'?

The end of the 'peace process'?

'Moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen told US Secretary of State Clinton and US Middle East envoy George Mitchell in Abu Dhabi on Saturday that the 'Palestinians' will not resume 'negotiations' with Israel unless Israel ceases all construction in 'east Jerusalem.' Clinton and Mitchell told Abu Mazen that no better offers from Israel are forthcoming.

Speaking at a press conference in Abu Dhabi after meeting United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is due to arrive here later Saturday evening and to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Abbas said that in its actions, Israel was "pouring oil into the bonfire [of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict], crossing red lines and preparing the ground for further acts of violence."

Abbas was presented by Clinton and by US Middle East Envoy George Mitchell with understandings reached between the US and Israel earlier. According to the Israeli offer, no more construction will be undertaken in the settlements apart from the completion of 3,000 housing units which are already in advanced stages of completion. Also, Jerusalem would not include east Jerusalem in the deal.

In the press conference, Abbas emphasized the issue of Jerusalem, saying the main issue in his talks with Clinton was the Jewish capital. "Jerusalem is in danger, and Arabs and Muslims must be aware of it," Abbas said. "Peace begins in Jerusalem, and without Jerusalem there will be no peace with the Israeli side," he added.

The Netanyahu administration, like previous governments, refuses to negotiate over Jerusalem and rejects the labeling of Jewish neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city as settlements.

Saeb Erekat, the top PA negotiator who was present in the Abbas-Clinton meeting, was quoted by Israel Radio as saying that "Clinton and Mitchell have clarified that at this point they cannot get more [generous offers] from Israel."

In case any of you missed it, this offer is more generous than the previous one: This offer would freeze Israeli building in Judea and Samaria for 'natural growth.' That freeze would be very unpopular in Israel and I question whether Netanyahu could even get his cabinet to approve it.

No matter. The 'Palestinians' have once again not missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. I'm sure Obama and Clinton are real happy now that they raised the issue of a total 'settlement freeze' in the first place.

What could go wrong?

Israel Matzav: The end of the 'peace process'?