"...One idea is to allow building in big established settlements that Israel expects to keep in a peace deal but not in those it would hand over in a land swap with the Palestinians." -A nonstarter. "Expects to keep is not equal to "will keep" - that will depend on the negotiations' outcome - PERIOD. That idea that Israel can have its stolen loaf, eat it, and whatever crumbs fall on the floor are for the Palestinian "dogs" is as ludicrous as it is racist. This kind of attitude to negotiations is why Oslo was a charade from the onset! Israel already has 78% of historical Palestine. No Palestinian leader would ever dare sign a deal that doesn't allocate us 22% as prescribed by international law! The UN Partition Plan accorded us in excess of 48% !! Or else where is the territory to absorb the potential millions of returning refugees? Does anyone here know something I don't? Here's the very least any Palestinian negotiator can propose: - East Jerusalem to Palestinian sovereignty. Jewish Quarter and your wall is negotiable. Contiguity of WB/Palestine with EJ including Old City, Silwan, Shaikh Jarrah, Al-Bustan, and others. - Jerusalem can remain an open city, subject to negotiation of details by the parties. It may be demilitiarized, except for light weapons carried by a joint police force. Palestinian parliament building to be built in Jerusalem. - Territorial swaps of 2-3% of the West Bank which would facilitate some settlement blocks to be annexed to Israel. This is illegal from an international law perspective and is ALREADY a huge compromise. Ariel is either dismantled/relocated or falls under Palestinian sovereignty. The concrete wall around Qalqilya is rerouted in such a way to return us our farm land - no compromise there whatsoever. -Palestine gets 100% of the WB through the minor territorial swaps idea. Gaza Strip gets additional land through the Naqab desert (and can more area by sea reclamation). Palestine gets additional fertile land in "Triangle region" and elsewhere. - Jordan Valley under Palestinian sovereignty. 15-year lease on a few hilltops in that region for Israeli EWS if they so wish, but Israel to pay up for its lease. - NATO forces protecting us from Israeli brutality and incursions. They would be stationed on all borders/crossing initially for a period of 2-3 years then to points and borders deemed sensitive by both parties indefinitely. -Palestinian Refugees: A number equal or greater than the settlement populations annexed to Israel is given their Right of Return to Israel proper. I foresee anywhere between 200,000 and 300,000, gradually over 10 years with say 25,000 people per annum. - Water: Palestine sells water to Israel at a discount, in return of subsidized power from Israel, until such a time Palestine is power self-sufficient. Definition of Israel: Call yourselves the Cucumber State for all we care. We are NOT going to rubber-stamp your legitimacy. As far as we're concerned, Israel was brought about illegally and through unjust colonial manipulation. Everyone knows Jews were a small minority in Palestine until Europe-backed Zionism imposed it.

As usual politicians will make a great show so they can be seen doing something.... A great and cynical parade of politicians making self serving speeches but it is the people who will suffer. If they were serious the talks would be done in secret and on the down low where necessary compromises can be made. Public announcements and headlines of compromise serve outside political interests but just provoke players like Hamas and Hizbolah to initiate violence and conflict to sabotage any possibility of a real agreement.

The last thing this region needs is another terrorist arab state. Bibi, if you want to remain in power, no talks with the terrorist Pal's. Israel is not yours to abandon!

Jews were there in Canaan/Palestine and for how long? get over it and you could ask your parents where they came from Russia or etc .. Peace

My grandchildren are 10 th generation Israelis, put that in your piss pipe & smoke it!

Thank you for that Muyyad. Would you like Al-Andalus as well?

"given their Right of Return to Israel proper" The whole point of a peace agreement is for you to have Palestine and us to have Israel. That simply means that we will not accept any "refugees" into Israel proper as that is what Palestine will be for. Some of your points are plausible others are simply ludicrous. Agreed there will be some land swap and agreed the Jewish Quarter and the Kotel will be ours. Plus Jerusalem can be an open city as it is today. However if you make peace with Israel that means you ACCEPT us for what we are which is a Jewish State. Just as we will accept you as a Palestinian State. If you can not accept this then you are not making peace but making detente. Ultimately if you like it or not you will have to accept Israel as a Jewish State who has the same legitimate right to be in the land as you.

he sits down with Bibi to watch this old rereun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6KLFrye9Xk&feature=related

I shall hope that cynical and smart-a$$ attitude like yours remain in the past for the sake of peace and prosperity in the region. I will bet you have not been to the region lately and hence do not appreciate the urgency of a solution. And by the way Ric, we Palestinians do not and shall never recognize your partitioning of Palestine. You are simply, an expired empire. Bye bye.

Even if 10 generation, Canaan/Palestine is the mother land(Canaan - Palestine alone is 2000 years young) "in 1900 and 1947 there was an 8% and a 33%"Jewish minority See http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3934006,00.html Thanks

can only be attained when the pal understand they are living on Israel soil and for the sake of world opinion (which our cowardly governments also appease) we will give you our lands so you can live on them and try to be human. I guess the concept of war was missed on you. You started a war, you lost! Period! you lost and continued to lose each and every time. Go home, Jordon. So what if more of us came after WWII. We had already been here for thousands of years....consider you "holy" mosque is built ON TOP of our holiest shrine!!! and still that doesn't tell you anything???!!! You are the illegitmate children of a distant cousin of ours and don't forget it. While we are at it, why do you think 80% of jordon is pals? Haven't you ever thought about that??? Personally I think you should have your own place, call it France or Mississippi or anything you like, but you are not getting what is not yours, which is and has been ours for thousands of years and all the false hope and words from the UN, or that putz obama, france, UK, Ireland and any other country you can think of...if not going to change that. Consider why every other country in the world wants you to have your own country...THEY DON'T WANT YOU LIVING ALMONG THEM!!!!! Now there is something you really need to consider and think about.....your country is Jordon, I've been there it is very nice, but interestingly every Jordanian I met was very clear about NOT being a pal....they don't want you there either.....and with a population of 80% you are still a minority....think about that.....

You some valid points, but I think this whole 22% thing is way overblown.. Let me ask you, where is the land swap for the land and property the Arab States took from Jews they expelled? Also the 22% argument excludes Jordan, include it and the number is well over 60%. Lastly, you ask for some connection between Gaza and the West Bank. That's a land version of the Suez Canal, connecting Asia to Africa and is worth more than the small percentage that it will use. But rather than argue over thse points, please help me understand why, for example, if you got 99% of the West Bank, you could not have a State, only 100% will do? Will that 1% shatter your dreams? That's the part that I just don't get.

My advice to the Palestinians is this. Don't miss this opportuny. Don't get hung up on 22%, 21%, etc. Make a deal. Work with us on security, to protect both us and you from terorrists in Hamas, Iran, Al Queda, etc.. Let's find a way to share Jerusalem and not divide it. Let's recognize each other's past hardships and each other's future. Enjoy the the benefits of economic boom from Israel so both our people can have a better life. Do so and you will become the most free and prosperous country in the Arab world.

President Obama ought to just butt out of the "middle east situation" and leave well enough alone! From what I understand, A lot of Israeli's are upset about how he treated the Prime Minister a while back.