Netanyahu may accept 1967 borders to counter Palestinian U.N. bid

[bemildred]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government may be willing to accept a U.S. proposal to resume peace talks that uses the 1967 borders as a basis of negotiations in order to counter a Palestinian bid for UN recognition.

Israel is prepared to accept a U.S. plan drawn up after Netanyahu's visit to Washington in May that would include land exchanges on both sides, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. The draft calls for Israel and the Palestinians to use the 1967 lines as a starting point in talks, while recognizing that "demographic facts on the ground" will mean the final result will differ, Israeli broadcaster Channel Two said yesterday.

Netanyahu may have shifted his stance on the border issue since rejecting President Barack Obama's call to use the 1967 boundaries as a starting point for negotiations on May 21. Days later, he conceded that Israel is ready to make "painful compromises." He may now be moving further as Palestinians push ahead with their plan to ask the UN to recognize their statehood next month. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat dismissed the reports as a "public relations" game.

"It's important for Netanyahu to shore up American support heading into September," said Gerald Steinberg, a political scientist at Bar Ilan University outside Tel Aviv. "The U.S. proposal is a compromise that incorporates Obama's statement that negotiations have to be based on the 1967 lines, and Netanyahu's concern that the final result has to take into account demographic changes - meaning the settlements - and can't be a return to those lines."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-netanyahu-palestinian-borders-20110802,0,1107062.story

[no_hypocrisy]

1. What about the settlements on the land that's outside the pre-1967 borders?

Would they be like spot-zoning, part of Israel or would they be incorporated into another country altogether? Would the residents at the settlement be evicted if the latter?

[Violet_Crumble]

2. I read that earlier this evening. Do you think there's anything to it?

Knowing Nutty's intransigence, the 'may accept' and 'may have shifted' references, and the knowledge that such an acceptance would likely lead to the collapse of his coalition government, I'm treating it with a grain of salt...

[SlimJimmy]

4. If anyone here thinks Israel will ever give the very strategic Golan Heights, then

they haven't been paying attention for the past 40 years.

[sabbat hunter]

7. the golan heights

were once part of syria not a Palestine.

[SlimJimmy]

8. They were part of the land taken in the 1967 war. (nt)

[sabbat hunter]

9. but this thread

is about negotiations with the PA for Palestine not with Syria.

[SlimJimmy]

10. But it *is* about the '67 borders which the PA has brought up in the

past. Those talks included them wanting control of the Golan Heights. Bottom line, it's just not going to happen.

[sabbat hunter]

15. The Golan heights

were never supposed to be a part of Palestine under any partition plan.

If they are trying to claim them, I think that Syria along with Israel would say hell no.

[SlimJimmy]

16. Agreed (nt)

[bemildred]

6. No, it could mean a lot of things, or it could just be noise for the sake of noise.

It's a change from the previous "defiant" attitude, but that's all I would make of it for now.

[safeinOhio]

3. Their crazy teabaggers (settlers)

will have a shit fit.

[Jefferson23]

5. From the OP:

The official says Netanyahu is willing to "show some flexibility" on the border issue, but won't elaborate. He also says Netanyahu expects Palestinian flexibility on other issues.(end)

I can't wait to see the definition of his flexibility on the border issue.

[Matilda]

11. It looks as if Israel is a bit rattled by the Palestinian bid for U.N. recognition.

But unless the settlements are disbanded, a return to the 1967 borders is impossible, so this is meaningless.

[Violet_Crumble]

13. Being rattled can make people stupid...

In the case of the Palestinian bid for U.N. recognition, being rattled just makes the Israeli government even more stupid than its normal level of stupid...

btw, good to see you roughing it down here in the I/P forum, Matilda :hi:

[azurnoir]

12. well it seems the LA Times has changed the article that's really annoying

now the title reads "Israel plays down report of border deal"

and it seems now Israel is backing away from whole thing, but really the LA Times should have run this as a different article quite simply because it is

[Violet_Crumble]

14. I had doubts about it from the moment I read yesterday he may accept the 67 borders...

Not that I think he's bright enough to think strategically, but Nutty has everything to lose by accepting Obama's call for negotiations to be based on the '67 borders, and everything to lose if he did accept it. Accepting it would undoubtedly lead to the collapse of his government, while not accepting it means that the UN bid for statehood will be successful, but the US will veto Palestine becoming a full member of the UN. All that leads to is the US looking bad in front of the international community while Nutty gets to hide behind them and watch the US score the flak...

[azurnoir]

17. True enough it's the same with Greece and the recent flotilla attempt

Netanyahu gets the kudo's the other guy takes the flak, what I was looking for when I clicked the article was if there had been any mention of EJerusalem or RoR otherwise IMO this was little different from Netanyahu's speech before the US congress last May, it was simply presented with a more 'attractive' title