This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/8556885.stm
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Biden in Israel for peace drive | Biden in Israel for peace drive |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| US Vice-President Joe Biden is to meet Israeli leaders, a day after arriving in the Middle East as part of a new initiative to revive the peace process. | US Vice-President Joe Biden is to meet Israeli leaders, a day after arriving in the Middle East as part of a new initiative to revive the peace process. |
| He is expected to push Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume direct talks, in the highest-level visit yet by an Obama administration official. | He is expected to push Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume direct talks, in the highest-level visit yet by an Obama administration official. |
| Hours before Mr Biden landed, Israel enraged Palestinians by approving 112 new homes in the occupied West Bank. | Hours before Mr Biden landed, Israel enraged Palestinians by approving 112 new homes in the occupied West Bank. |
| Iran's nuclear programme is expected to be at the top of Israel's agenda. | Iran's nuclear programme is expected to be at the top of Israel's agenda. |
| Mr Biden will try to reassure Mr Netanyahu that plans for tougher sanctions against Iran are serious, says the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen in Jerusalem. | Mr Biden will try to reassure Mr Netanyahu that plans for tougher sanctions against Iran are serious, says the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen in Jerusalem. |
| The US does not want Israel to take military action against Iran, which is much talked about there, our correspondent says. | The US does not want Israel to take military action against Iran, which is much talked about there, our correspondent says. |
| ANALYSIS Jeremy BowenBBC Middle East editor The US vice-president's visit comes at a time of general foreboding in the region, and of pessimism about the chances for new peace talks. | ANALYSIS Jeremy BowenBBC Middle East editor The US vice-president's visit comes at a time of general foreboding in the region, and of pessimism about the chances for new peace talks. |
| It's a sign of how bad things are that indirect proximity talks are being presented as an achievement. | It's a sign of how bad things are that indirect proximity talks are being presented as an achievement. |
| Sixteen years of direct peace talks failed. There have been none at all for more than a year. | Sixteen years of direct peace talks failed. There have been none at all for more than a year. |
| A breakthrough would surprise all sides. There are fears of more violence if the current political vacuum continues. | A breakthrough would surprise all sides. There are fears of more violence if the current political vacuum continues. |
| In an interview on Monday with the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Mr Biden stressed that the US would stand by Israel. | In an interview on Monday with the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Mr Biden stressed that the US would stand by Israel. |
| "I can promise the Israeli people that we will confront, as allies, any security challenge it will face. A nuclear-armed Iran would constitute a threat not only to Israel - it would also constitute a threat to the United States." | "I can promise the Israeli people that we will confront, as allies, any security challenge it will face. A nuclear-armed Iran would constitute a threat not only to Israel - it would also constitute a threat to the United States." |
| "Our administration is mobilising the international community to insist that Iran fulfil its international commitments. If it does not, it will have to deal with serious consequences and with increasing isolation." | "Our administration is mobilising the international community to insist that Iran fulfil its international commitments. If it does not, it will have to deal with serious consequences and with increasing isolation." |
| Mr Biden is also due to hold talks with Israeli President Shimon Peres and opposition leader Tzipi Livni on Tuesday. | Mr Biden is also due to hold talks with Israeli President Shimon Peres and opposition leader Tzipi Livni on Tuesday. |
| On Wednesday, he will meet Palestinian leaders in the West Bank. | On Wednesday, he will meet Palestinian leaders in the West Bank. |
| Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to meet Mr Netanyahu because of Israel's refusal to put a complete stop to building Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. | Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to meet Mr Netanyahu because of Israel's refusal to put a complete stop to building Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. |
| We cannot tolerate that each time we have discussions on peace-making the Israeli government tenders more settlements, more incursions, more provocations Saeb ErekatChief Palestinian negotiator href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/8273995.stm">In the shadow of a settlement href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/8268543.stm">An Israeli settlement in close-up href="/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8261702.stm">Middle East 'haunted by the past' | |
| In November, Israel announced a 10-month suspension of new building in settlements in the West Bank, under heavy US pressure. | In November, Israel announced a 10-month suspension of new building in settlements in the West Bank, under heavy US pressure. |
| But the government does not consider areas within the Jerusalem municipality to be settlements and the restrictions do not apply. | But the government does not consider areas within the Jerusalem municipality to be settlements and the restrictions do not apply. |
| Despite the Palestinian position, President Abbas agreed on Monday to hold four months of indirect "proximity talks", during which the negotiating teams would meet separately with the US Middle East envoy George Mitchell, who would shuttle between them. | Despite the Palestinian position, President Abbas agreed on Monday to hold four months of indirect "proximity talks", during which the negotiating teams would meet separately with the US Middle East envoy George Mitchell, who would shuttle between them. |
| Any such discussions would mark the first time the Palestinians and Israelis have come together in any form for more than a year. | Any such discussions would mark the first time the Palestinians and Israelis have come together in any form for more than a year. |
| However, correspondents say no-one on either side is talking with any great optimism about what the indirect talks might achieve. | However, correspondents say no-one on either side is talking with any great optimism about what the indirect talks might achieve. |
| 'More provocations' | 'More provocations' |
| Mr Biden's arrival came just hours after Israel infuriated Palestinians by approving the construction of 112 new housing units in the West Bank settlement of Beitar Illit. | Mr Biden's arrival came just hours after Israel infuriated Palestinians by approving the construction of 112 new housing units in the West Bank settlement of Beitar Illit. |
| The apartments in Beitar Illit are "an exception", the Israelis say | The apartments in Beitar Illit are "an exception", the Israelis say |
| The Israeli defence ministry said the units were approved before Israel agreed to the 10-month suspension of most new settlement construction, and that they were an "exception", because of safety and infrastructure issues. | The Israeli defence ministry said the units were approved before Israel agreed to the 10-month suspension of most new settlement construction, and that they were an "exception", because of safety and infrastructure issues. |
| But chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the move put the indirect talks at risk. | But chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the move put the indirect talks at risk. |
| "We cannot tolerate that each time we have discussions on peace-making the Israeli government tenders more settlements, more incursions, more provocations," he told the AFP news agency. | "We cannot tolerate that each time we have discussions on peace-making the Israeli government tenders more settlements, more incursions, more provocations," he told the AFP news agency. |
| A US state department spokesman said the development did not breach the building freeze, but was "the kind of thing both sides need to be cautious of". | A US state department spokesman said the development did not breach the building freeze, but was "the kind of thing both sides need to be cautious of". |
| Close to 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem. They are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. | Close to 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem. They are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. |