- July 28, 2009 • 11:35 am PDT
- + responses
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. envoy George Mitchell emerged from talks with Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday without a deal on a Jewish settlement freeze but he said they had
made "good progress."
Echoing Mitchell's assessment of their two-hour meeting, Netanyahu said they would continue to
make an effort which "will eventually succeed" to promote peace and security between Israel and
the Palestinians and Arab countries in the region.
"We have made good progress," Mitchell told reporters.
"We look forward to continuing our discussions to reach the point ... at which we can all move
forward to achieve the comprehensive peace that I have described as President (Barack) Obama's
vision but I know also is shared by the prime minister and by all the people of this region."
Obama's demand, in accordance with a 2003 U.S.-backed peace "road map," to freeze Jewish
settlement in the occupied West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem has met stiff resistance from
Netanyahu.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whom Mitchell met in the occupied West Bank on Monday, has
said peace talks with Israel, suspended since late last year, could not resume unless Netanyahu
halted all settlement activity.
Mitchell informed Abbas there was "still a gap between us and the Israelis on the settlements
issue," a Palestinian official told Reuters.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has publicly raised the possibility of halting construction in
settlements while allowing building projects under way to continue, as part of a deal in which
Arab countries would take initial steps to normalize relations with Israel.
Arab moves toward commercial or diplomatic ties with Israel could help Netanyahu persuade partners
in his right-leaning coalition to accept a compromise on settlements.
There has been little indication from Arab countries in the region they would make such gestures
without a complete settlement freeze.
Mitchell has held top-level talks in Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Egypt and Israel
over the past week. He said he and Netanyahu would meet again, but gave no date.
Netanyahu is to hold talks on Wednesday with U.S. national security adviser Jim Jones and other
Middle East specialists sent to the region by the White House.
Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday without a deal on a Jewish settlement freeze but he said they had
made "good progress."
Echoing Mitchell's assessment of their two-hour meeting, Netanyahu said they would continue to
make an effort which "will eventually succeed" to promote peace and security between Israel and
the Palestinians and Arab countries in the region.
"We have made good progress," Mitchell told reporters.
"We look forward to continuing our discussions to reach the point ... at which we can all move
forward to achieve the comprehensive peace that I have described as President (Barack) Obama's
vision but I know also is shared by the prime minister and by all the people of this region."
Obama's demand, in accordance with a 2003 U.S.-backed peace "road map," to freeze Jewish
settlement in the occupied West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem has met stiff resistance from
Netanyahu.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whom Mitchell met in the occupied West Bank on Monday, has
said peace talks with Israel, suspended since late last year, could not resume unless Netanyahu
halted all settlement activity.
Mitchell informed Abbas there was "still a gap between us and the Israelis on the settlements
issue," a Palestinian official told Reuters.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has publicly raised the possibility of halting construction in
settlements while allowing building projects under way to continue, as part of a deal in which
Arab countries would take initial steps to normalize relations with Israel.
Arab moves toward commercial or diplomatic ties with Israel could help Netanyahu persuade partners
in his right-leaning coalition to accept a compromise on settlements.
There has been little indication from Arab countries in the region they would make such gestures
without a complete settlement freeze.
Mitchell has held top-level talks in Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Egypt and Israel
over the past week. He said he and Netanyahu would meet again, but gave no date.
Netanyahu is to hold talks on Wednesday with U.S. national security adviser Jim Jones and other
Middle East specialists sent to the region by the White House.
