Israel Matzav

Two different invitations

It seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu and 'moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen have accepted two different invitations to the 'direct talks.'

Al-Ahmad, a Fatah Central Committee member, says that if the US does not adhere to the Quartet statement, "Obama’s invitation will not be more than a dinner party. There will not be real negotiations; they might not even be launched."

While Clinton insists that the talks should renew "without preconditions," the Quartet reaffirmed its commitment to previous statements including one on 19 March which called on both sides to adhere to the Road Map and specifically demanded that Israel "freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth."

Abbas had insisted that talks would not resume without an end to settlement construction in occupied Palestinian territory, a request Netanyahu refused as a "precondition."

Welcoming Clinton's invitation, Netanyahu said Friday that he was "pleased with the American clarification that the talks would be without preconditions."

Abbas accepted the invitation but warned Sunday that continued settlement expansion would derail the talks.

Al-Ahmad noted that the remarks made by US Quartet envoy George Mitchell, which followed Clinton’s announcement, contradicted those outlined in the Quartet statement.

The Fatah official said that while the PA considered the Quartet statement to be a reference for talks, Mitchell said the agenda for talks would not be set in advance but would be worked out during negotiations.

The talks will fail, Al-Ahmad says, unless the agenda is set in advance.

Well, Netanyahu made some statements today about the talks starting with security - I can't see the 'Palestinians' accepting that one. Heh.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:26 AM