...Jews whether or not to reside in their historic capital city and the capital city of the nation-state of the Jewish people, Israel. Never again!!

There has been a Palestinian state without Jerusalem for over 43 years called Jordan....we suggest you check it out. Seems there are lot of your kind there and I hear the humus is to die for, bon voyage Salamander.

Better give it up Salma... you ain't never gonna get it. Set your sights on something you can actually get, like a life. Create instead of destroying, learn to love instead of hating.

Can't stop progress, who's in the world can agree with this formula, but of course only arabs, JERUSALEM is a JEWISH cITY, CAPITAL of ISRAEL, it's not a settlement, CAPITO amigo! May God bless ISRAEL, may God bless all Jews, AMEN.

The Palestinians and Muslims face and pray to Mecca, their most Holy Place, while the Jewish People face and pray to Jerusalem as their most Holy Place. The Muslims cannot have sovereignty over both Holy Places. The Jewish People will NOT DIVIDE or give up SOVEREIGNTY of even one inch of Jerusalem. If Abbas can't agree to that, then their is no point in talking to him.

For sure we JEWS will not give JERUSALEM even in exchange of your Mecca. Evenb thr Greek & ther Roman Empire wanted Jerusaelm.OUR HOLY & BEAUTIFUL CITY OF JERUSALEM will always be JEWISH,with or without the world approval.We prey for Jerusalem every day.Jerusalem is the life of the JEWS.

"Religious hate seculars and seculars hate religious" You have no right to generalize nor are you the speaker for the religious & the seculars in Israel. People like you are called troublemakers. Go take a hike.

in any way, shape, or form. All the psycho-babble in the world is not going to change that. You have Mecca, sweetheart.

For the 1000's time, salma-get lost ! You and your people did not build Jerusalem, did not hold it holy, but did a good job destroying it, until you stole it from us and so typically for your kind, built your dome on top of our sacred "Har Habait", when your people managed to concore Jerusalem...Your koran doesn't mention Jerusalem ....So stop the melodrama...You don't belong in Jerusalem ! You belong to Mecca..Snap out of your wishful thinking before you really become a soul without a heart, etc....Or have you already ...

If the building freeze includes Jerusalem then Israel will not agree to a freeze. If the freeze does not include Jerusalem the palestinians will not talk. Obama created all these problems because he has never had the courage to stand up to Abbas. Neither Arafat or Abbas have ever demanded a building freeze in either Jerusalem or anywhere else before as a condition of talks. Israel has always built and palestinians moaned about it but just talked about which settlements must go in future. Now though everytime we lay a brick anywhere Abbas decides he is walking out of tslks. If Oba,ma had not been letting Abbas dictate terms on every little issue from the start we wouldn't be in this position. Obama is a puppet not a president and until ha starts acting like a president and laying down the law to Abbas then Abbas will continue to throw tantrums whenever things are not going all his own way. If Obama wants his legacy then his tried and tested policy of do as he is told by Abbas and punish Israel policy needs to change.

We're not greedy like you, We don't want your land ; we just want our homeland!

Hogwash! The "Palestinians" have rejected a two-state solution on no fewer than three occasions, most recently one which would have awarded you 90% of the West Bank and East Jerusalem as a capital. Arafat (may his name be cursed throughout eternity) rejected the offer and opted to start the second intifada instead. You don't want a "Palestinian" homeland -- actually, you have one; it's called Jordan. No, your motives are far more nefarious -- you simply want to supplant Israel. Do you know when that will happen, Salma? I will tell you. When pigs fly. Which is to say -- never.

O well no talks I guess thats life , forget it , Jerusalem is not a settlement this is what I meant before the arabs want it all or nothing , it is in there charter the complete destruction of israel give them a cardboard box and leave it at that....all israel is asking is to be accepted as a state and the arabs cant do that... give them nothing..may the lord forever bless the state of israel

Did ABBAS really believe that the Israelis were interested in peace talks? Maybe he is not the right person. And hej, Hamas is not the answer.

Unfortunately, from where I sit (not in Israel), #17 is quite right. Abbas and his kind only have to sit tight and wait for Israel to destroy itself from within - no need to "negotiate". Increasignly, Israel is not my "safe haven" or that of millions of other Jews as a result of the orthodox takeover of the state. I have many ex-Israeli friends who feel the same way. Since none of us Diaspora Jews have the vote in Israel, either secular Israeli Jews must take back the state (and all its social institutions)soon, or else the debate about Israel's external enemies won't matter to many of us. A Jewish "Iran" is not what Hertzl had in mind. In that case, Abbas can have it all.

This shows that despite Israel trying to compromise, the Palestinians just want more and more. It is starting to look like the Palestinians don't want to join the peace talks at all. How can Abbas expect to settle 'final status' agreements like Jerusalem before the talks even begin?

what a pitiful egocentric this abbas guy. he has nothing to offer but acts as if the world reests on his every word. totally delusional.

Americans will never give up jerusalem "EVER"..it is our true capital..

Bibi calls on Abbas to come start talking peace. Abbas says no. Bibi offers a goodwill gesture of a self imposed 10 month freeze to encourage Abbas to talk. Abbas replies its not enough I won't talk. After 9 months Abbas is finally dragged kicking and screaming to talks and we make no progress. The freeze comes to an end Abbas walks away. Bibi negotiates a possible 3 month extension to the freeze Abbas says its not enough. Obama created this problem because since day 1 in his attempt to appease the arab & muslim world he has been telling Abbas he can have anything he wants. In Obama's first year he & Abbas were working to overthrow Bibi. Eventually Obama accepted Bibi was here to stay but he was unwilling to stand up to Abbas so like every opportunist Abbas makes demands and Obama is to scared to say no out of fear of what it will do to him new pro muslim image. Until Obama starts acting like a president and put Abbas in his place then its going to be the same old story of Abbas makes demands and if Israel refuses to pay Abbas will walk away. Talks have been taking place on and off since 1993 but right now since Obama came to power things are worse than they have ever been because Obama appeases the arabs unconditionally because of his obsession of being seen as a friend of the islammic world.

Yet another new precondition from Abbas as he wanders around trying to look like a statesman. This looks like the last roll of the dice by a desperate man who knows that he's washed up.I,for one,am enjoying watching Abbas committing slow suicide using his own mouth. Maybe I'm the only one,but I think that Mr Netanyahu is doing a fine job now and I hope that he keeps his nerve.Perhaps he's smarter than some think. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

Well,Salma,if you're "Like a soul without a mind, in a body without a heart." get in line with Abbas,the 'statesman' who hasn't got the courage to negotiate and go and see the Wizard of Oz. You'll find him somewhere over the rainbow.That's why Abbas gets you nowhere fast. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

I don't think it's so much a question of Obama having the courage to stand up to Abbas -- Obama and Abbas are like-minded. Their agendas do not differ. Don't worry. Israel survived Nixon and Carter. We'll survive the current lame duck, too.

It's time that Israel told Abbas once and for all to go to hell and that Israel continued with her life. Abbas wants one thing, - the Destruction of Israel. There never has been a Palestinian people or a palestinian homeland. The "Palestinian People" was an invention of the Arab nations. What is the world wastion millions on organising "peace" talks between Israel and some arab"Leaders" when the se "leaders" have made it quite clear thatwhat they want is to see Israel wipedoff the map.

LOL, good one, Ian.

do you want exchange jerusalem for mecca read talkback nr 37

Well if you are not greedy,then please go to your own land which is called ARABIA and your HOLY place called MECCA & MEDINA in Arabia. Arabs means Arabia Arabia means Arab Jews means JUDEA VERY SIMPLE MATH