April 30, 2010
US: Proximity talks to begin next weekPeace process to resume? Secretary of State Clinton says US expects indirect Israeli-Palestinian talks to get underway next week; Special envoy George Mitchell will be returning to Mideast, she says
Reuters
Latest Update: 04.30.10, 20:22 / Israel News
Back on track? US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday she expects Israeli-Palestinian proximity talks - indirect discussions through US mediators - to begin next week.
"We will be starting with proximity talks next week," Clinton told reporters, saying US special envoy George Mitchell would be returning to the Middle East.
Clinton said the US expected an Arab foreign ministers meeting on Saturday to endorse the new talks, which would give Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas political cover to resume indirect negotiations.
"Ultimately we want to see the parties in direct negotiations and working out all the difficult issues," Clinton said during a meeting with visiting Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah.
"They've been close a few times before," Clinton said. "So we are looking to see the resumption of those discussions."
One Abbas aide, Saeb Erekat, said his side would await the results of the Arab foreign ministers meeting on Saturday as well as of a Palestinian Liberation Organization executive committee next week.
Kuwait's Al-Sabah said he was confident Arab states would back the initiative to get talks back on track. "We support fully the position that the United States has taken," he said.
US assurances to Abbas?
On Friday, State Department Spokesman Phillip Crowley said the US was "working around the clock to move forward with proximity talks. He added that the US hopes that indirect talks "will set the stage for a resumption of direct negotiations on all permanent status issues as soon as possible."
As part of the efforts to convince the Palestinians to enter the talks, the US has given Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas private assurances, including an offer to consider allowing UN Security Council condemnation of any "significant new Israeli settlement activity," the Guardian reported overnight Friday.
“Never let the enemy pick the battle site.”
George S. Patton
Israel must go on the attack and seek victory for anything less than victory is a betrayal of the payers and hopes that lived in Jewish hearts for over 2000 years.
Israel must first say no to America.
Israel then must seek to establish strong ties with other nations using our weapons technology and the lure to secure these ties.
But this will not happen and I will close with an other quote from Patton.
“Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men.”
About Yoni
Yoni has been involved in the fight and the study of Islamic terrorism for over 20 years.
He has served Israel as a master sniper and a member of one of her anti terrorist units. When he left this unit he was second in command of this all-volunteer, special operations unit.
Along the way he was honored with the award being named "Officer of the Year" for his devotion to duty and professionalism.
He has contributed to several books on terrorism and issues of survival in high risk situations.
He is a regular contributor to the Hugh Hewitt national syndicated radio show.
He also has served as a deputy sheriff with a major west coast sheriff's department, where he served as first a patrol officer and then a pro active anti violent crime officer. When he left the Department to return to Israel he was due to serve on the SWAT Team.
He is the President of a security consultant and Private Military Corporation called Targeted Applications Group with offices in Seattle and Toronto Canada.
