Report: US forms plan for peace within 2 years
London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper says US President Obama has laid out plan to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on two-state solution; Prime Minister Netanyahu given six weeks to respond
The United States has presented Egypt and Israel with a plan meant to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within two years, based on the two-state solution, London-based Arabic-language al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper reported Tuesday.
According to the report, the plan was presented to Egyptian Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during their visit to Washington last month.
The parties were asked to respond to the offer as soon as possible, with Netanyahu given a six-week extension to formulate his answer.
According to the report, the Egyptian leadership believes that the offer is a serious one and that the major obstacle it faces is the internal Palestinian strife. Cairo has therefore decided, after consulting with various Arab leaders, to make every effort to bring the situation to an end, so progress may be made.
The paper also said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who was also briefed on the initiative, has sent Head of the Palestinian negotiations team, Ahmed Qureia to Egypt, and that Cairo had asked Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal to set a timetable for such negotiations.
Cairo has also called an urgent meeting of the Arab foreign ministers for June 17. A senior Egyptian source told the paper that a meeting between Suleiman and Mashaal has been set for later Tuesday.
Outlining the plan. Obama (Photo: AFP)
"Suleiman invited a Hamas delegation to Cairo in an effort to end the Palestinian split and with aim to advance the political process," the source was quoted as saying. "Egypt will continue its dealings with all Palestinian factions and leaders in hopes of seeing the negotiations mature into a Palestinian reconciliation by July 7."
Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama spoke for a reported 20 minutes on Monday. Sources in the Prime Minister's Office said the tone was a positive one and that various topics were discussed, including the prime minister's planned address to the Knesset next week.
Earlier this week, Netanyahu announced that he would make a formal address in response to Obama's historic Cairo speech, which outlined his vision for the Middle East, and that he plans on detailing his notions as to the best way to achieve peace and security for Israel.
Obama reportedly told Netanyahu that he was looking forwards to hearing his speech.
