Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has showed some flexibility in regard to the peace negotiations. In the face of Palestine’s UN statehood bid, Netanyahu is believed to be considering recognising Palestine on its 1967 borders and agreeing on an exchange of territory.
Netanyahu has previous refused these positions.
Representatives of the Middle East Quartet, which includes the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, held a meeting in New York on Sunday to draft a statement calling for the resumption of direct peace talks.
Haaretz said that the US had submitted a number of amendments to the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, including suggesting that Abbas request UN recognition from the UN Secretary General, but ask that the process is frozen for a period.
Alternatively, the US has suggested that the UN could form a committee to discuss the request by a certain deadline, within which time peace negotiations could be given a chance to resume.
Haaretz said: “Netanyahu has responded to the request by Blair and the United States to show flexibility to reach a new formula that will be acceptable to the Palestinians. Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to several compromises in regard to the Quartet statement\'s wording, specifically on issues such as the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, among others.
Netanyahu reportedly agreed to a vague wording concerning the West Bank\'s main settlement blocs. One Quartet draft spoke of negotiations based on the 1967 borders, with land swaps and borders reflecting the “demographic reality on the ground.”
Furthermore, the premier also reportedly agreed to flexibility on the length of future negotiations and security assurances, a subject that he has previously refused to address.
American officials want peace talks to have a six month limit, whereas Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to a one year deadline.
The newspaper said that Netanyahu had agreed to the more-general language on the issue, as well as consenting to some more-ambitious words that might give the Americans and Blair more leeway with the Palestinian side.
Abbas has reportedly rejected all amendments, remaining fully committed to the UN statehood bid.
Haaretz said that despite Abbas’ objections, the Quartet will still release a statement in order to gauge the responses of each side.