White House: “Direct Talks Possible After Progress”

Saturday July 03, 2010 12:38 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

A senior White House official stated that although it is early to determine when will direct Israeli-Palestinian talks take place, some progress was made that would likely lead to this outcome.

Daniel Shapiro, Middle East Advisor to President, Barack Obama, stated that proximity talks achieve some progress, and that the gaps between the two positions have been reduced.

Shapiro added that it is still difficult to set a time for the resumption of direct talks.
The White House official further said that Netanyahu and Obama will discuss the necessity to move to direct talks, and intend to hold talks on regional security, bilateral relation, and what they called “recent policy shift towards Gaza”.

Israel insists on maintaining the deadly siege on the coastal region but decided to allow certain materials and supplies into Gaza, yet the supplies allowed through are not sufficient to elevate the suffering of the residents, especially the patients.

The latest casualty of the Israeli siege on Gaza is Mohammad Khader, 7 months. Mohammad Khader, 7 months. His death brings the toll of patients who have died due to the siege up to 374.

He had a swelling in his brain and needed specialized treatment while hospitals in the Gaza Strip lack basic equipment and supplies due to the ongoing illegal Israeli siege.

Netanyahu and Obama will be holding talks in Washington this coming week. The two would hold talks on the so-called temporary settlement freeze while U.S officials said that Washington is concerned that the ongoing settlement activities and home demolitions in Jerusalem would jeprodize all efforts to resume peace talks.

Obama To Give Netanyahu Warm Welcome In Washington

Friday July 02, 2010 13:20 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli sources reported that the Israeli occupation government prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will receive a warm welcome from U.S. President Barack Obama during his visit to Washington next week.

The sources added that Obama is expected to ask Netanyahu to extend the temporary freeze of settlement activities in order to give the peace talks a chance to advance.

The temporary “freeze” of settlements activities will expire in September, the claimed freeze does not include settlement construction and expansion in occupied Jerusalem.

Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that American officials are concerned about the negative impacts of the resumption of settlement activities in the efforts to maintain talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas.

While senior U.S. officials are pressuring Abbas to start direct talks with Israel, Obama is expected to ask Netanyahu to extend the freeze of settlement activities.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu called for a meeting of the Israeli septet committee in order to prepare the agenda for his upcoming visit to Washington, but it is unlikely that four out of the seven ministers will approve an extension to settlement freeze.

The four ministers are Avigdor Lieberman, Moshe Yaalon, Elie Yishai and Benny Begin.

U.S. Middle East Envoy, George Mitchell, and his team expressed dissatisfaction over Netanyahu’s slowdown in proximity talks, and suggested that he hold talks with Obama.

Other U.S. officials, mainly Dennis Ross, said that such a meeting should be utilized in regaining trust between the two leaders.

Netanyahu is expected at the White House on Tuesday July 6; he will be holding a two-hour meeting with Obama before the two leaders hold a 30-minute press conference. Later on Tuesday, Obama is expected to host Netanyahu and his entourage for dinner.

The Israeli Prime Minister also intends to hold a separate meeting with Vice President Joe Biden, and United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu will be meeting leaders of the Jewish lobby in New York.