This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/08/world/middleeast/mideast-talks.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Israelis and Palestinians Ask U.S. Envoy for New Meeting Israelis and Palestinians Ask U.S. Envoy for New Meeting
(about 5 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Israeli and Palestinian negotiators planned to meet with an American mediator on Monday for the second straight day in an effort to salvage the Middle East peace talks, which were pushed to the brink of breakdown last week.JERUSALEM — Israeli and Palestinian negotiators planned to meet with an American mediator on Monday for the second straight day in an effort to salvage the Middle East peace talks, which were pushed to the brink of breakdown last week.
A statement from the American consulate in Jerusalem described a session on Sunday night as “serious and constructive.” It said the negotiators, Tzipi Livni for the Israelis and Saeb Erekat for the Palestinians, had asked the Obama administration’s envoy, Martin S. Indyk, for another round. A statement from the American Consulate in Jerusalem described a session on Sunday night as “serious and constructive.” It said the negotiators, Tzipi Livni for the Israelis and Saeb Erekat for the Palestinians, had asked the Obama administration’s envoy, Martin S. Indyk, for another round.
The meetings followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement on Sunday that he wanted the talks to continue “but not at any price.” Both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have made it clear that although they broke commitments last week that they made when they started the negotiations last summer, they still consider themselves bound by the original timetable and therefore have until April 29 to find a way out of the crisis. The meetings followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement on Sunday that he wanted the talks to continue “but not at any price.” Both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have made it clear that although they broke commitments last week that they made when they started the negotiations last summer, they still considered themselves bound by the original timetable and therefore have until April 29 to find a way out of the crisis.
Mr. Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel would take its own “unilateral steps” in response to the Palestinians’ move last week to join 15 international treaties and conventions and reiterated that a Palestinian state could be created “only through direct negotiations, not through empty statements and not by unilateral moves.”Mr. Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel would take its own “unilateral steps” in response to the Palestinians’ move last week to join 15 international treaties and conventions and reiterated that a Palestinian state could be created “only through direct negotiations, not through empty statements and not by unilateral moves.”
The Palestinians said they took the contentious step only because Israel reneged on a promise to release a group of long-serving prisoners by the end of March, breaking its own commitment as part of the negotiations.The Palestinians said they took the contentious step only because Israel reneged on a promise to release a group of long-serving prisoners by the end of March, breaking its own commitment as part of the negotiations.
It was Mr. Netanyahu’s first public statement about the peace process since the crisis last week, which left the American-brokered negotiations on the brink of collapse and came hours before the lead Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met with Mr. Indyk.It was Mr. Netanyahu’s first public statement about the peace process since the crisis last week, which left the American-brokered negotiations on the brink of collapse and came hours before the lead Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met with Mr. Indyk.
Muhammad Shtayyeh, a senior Palestinian official who resigned as a negotiator in the midst of the current talks, said on Monday that Mr. Abbas’s application to join the international entities was “irreversible” and represented a “paradigm shift” in which Palestinians would pursue other options in parallel with bilateral negotiations. But he, too, suggested that there could yet be a way out of the crisis.Muhammad Shtayyeh, a senior Palestinian official who resigned as a negotiator in the midst of the current talks, said on Monday that Mr. Abbas’s application to join the international entities was “irreversible” and represented a “paradigm shift” in which Palestinians would pursue other options in parallel with bilateral negotiations. But he, too, suggested that there could yet be a way out of the crisis.
“We are keeping the door open for any serious talks,” he said at a briefing in Ramallah. “We have time between today and the 29th of April. If the Israeli side is serious, we are ready for that.”“We are keeping the door open for any serious talks,” he said at a briefing in Ramallah. “We have time between today and the 29th of April. If the Israeli side is serious, we are ready for that.”
Mr. Shtayyeh rejected Israel’s demand that the applications to the entities be withdrawn and said Palestinians want to separate the issues of the release of the promised fourth batch of prisoners from that of extending the timetable for the talks. He said extending negotiations would require either a freeze on construction in West Bank settlements or the Israeli presentation of a map outlining the future borders of the promised two states.Mr. Shtayyeh rejected Israel’s demand that the applications to the entities be withdrawn and said Palestinians want to separate the issues of the release of the promised fourth batch of prisoners from that of extending the timetable for the talks. He said extending negotiations would require either a freeze on construction in West Bank settlements or the Israeli presentation of a map outlining the future borders of the promised two states.
“Some of you might be under the impression that the differences between us and the Israelis have to do with the prisoner release” or the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, Mr. Shtayyeh told some 50 Palestinian and foreign journalists. “We have big differences with the Israelis on refugees, on Jerusalem, on borders, and on the Israeli military presence in the Jordan Valley,” he said. “The gap between us and the Israelis has been growing and not narrowing. No one should be left under the impression that we have an opportunity that we are losing.”“Some of you might be under the impression that the differences between us and the Israelis have to do with the prisoner release” or the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, Mr. Shtayyeh told some 50 Palestinian and foreign journalists. “We have big differences with the Israelis on refugees, on Jerusalem, on borders, and on the Israeli military presence in the Jordan Valley,” he said. “The gap between us and the Israelis has been growing and not narrowing. No one should be left under the impression that we have an opportunity that we are losing.”
While Mr. Netanyahu, in his comments on Sunday, was clearly trying to lay blame for the possible collapse on his counterpart, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, he, like other leaders who spoke over the past several days, left open a window for salvaging the talks before April 29. Though Mr. Netanyahu, in his comments on Sunday, was clearly trying to lay blame for the possible collapse on his counterpart, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, he, like other leaders who spoke over the past several days, left open a window for salvaging the talks before April 29.
Mr. Netanyahu did not specify what “unilateral steps” Israel might employ, though local news outlets have reported that the country is preparing to block a mobile-phone company from entering the Gaza Strip and providing 3G service in the West Bank, and to cancel plans for some development projects in the West Bank.Mr. Netanyahu did not specify what “unilateral steps” Israel might employ, though local news outlets have reported that the country is preparing to block a mobile-phone company from entering the Gaza Strip and providing 3G service in the West Bank, and to cancel plans for some development projects in the West Bank.
“We are ready to continue the talks, but not at any price,” Mr. Netanyahu said at the start of Israel’s weekly cabinet meeting. “The Palestinians substantially violated in a significant way the understandings that were reached with American involvement. The Palestinian threats to appeal to the U.N. will not affect us — the Palestinians have much to lose from this unilateral move.”“We are ready to continue the talks, but not at any price,” Mr. Netanyahu said at the start of Israel’s weekly cabinet meeting. “The Palestinians substantially violated in a significant way the understandings that were reached with American involvement. The Palestinian threats to appeal to the U.N. will not affect us — the Palestinians have much to lose from this unilateral move.”
Israeli leaders attribute the crisis to Mr. Abbas’s signing of documents Tuesday night seeking membership in 15 international treaties and conventions, something he had promised not to do during the nine-month term of the talks Secretary of State John Kerry started last summer.Israeli leaders attribute the crisis to Mr. Abbas’s signing of documents Tuesday night seeking membership in 15 international treaties and conventions, something he had promised not to do during the nine-month term of the talks Secretary of State John Kerry started last summer.
But the Palestinians say their move, which leveraged the nonmember observer-state status they won at the United Nations in 2012, came only because the prisoner release did not occur on time.But the Palestinians say their move, which leveraged the nonmember observer-state status they won at the United Nations in 2012, came only because the prisoner release did not occur on time.
“The release of prisoners is part of an agreement, and no compromise can be accepted,” Yasser Abed Rabbo, a close aide to Mr. Abbas and an officer of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee, said Sunday on the Voice of Palestine radio station. “This is a basic issue for us. Israel continues with its practices withdrawing all agreement, and at the same time it does not want to commit to any agreed-about standards.”“The release of prisoners is part of an agreement, and no compromise can be accepted,” Yasser Abed Rabbo, a close aide to Mr. Abbas and an officer of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee, said Sunday on the Voice of Palestine radio station. “This is a basic issue for us. Israel continues with its practices withdrawing all agreement, and at the same time it does not want to commit to any agreed-about standards.”
Such finger-pointing was not just between the parties to the talks. It also broke out within Israel’s cabinet, where there are deep divisions on the Palestinian question.Such finger-pointing was not just between the parties to the talks. It also broke out within Israel’s cabinet, where there are deep divisions on the Palestinian question.
Ms. Livni, the justice minister, who has been leading the negotiations for the Israelis, accused the housing minister, Uri Ariel, of deliberately sabotaging the process by publishing tenders for 700 new apartments in Gilo, a Jewish area of East Jerusalem, on Tuesday, even as Mr. Netanyahu was preparing to convene the cabinet to discuss a new deal to extend negotiations. Palestinians say the Gilo announcement contributed to Mr. Abbas’s decision to sign the documents joining international conventions.Ms. Livni, the justice minister, who has been leading the negotiations for the Israelis, accused the housing minister, Uri Ariel, of deliberately sabotaging the process by publishing tenders for 700 new apartments in Gilo, a Jewish area of East Jerusalem, on Tuesday, even as Mr. Netanyahu was preparing to convene the cabinet to discuss a new deal to extend negotiations. Palestinians say the Gilo announcement contributed to Mr. Abbas’s decision to sign the documents joining international conventions.
“The entire Jewish Home and Uri Ariel, first and foremost, have only been waiting for an opportunity to continue to build, to make more statements, to bring the world down on our heads and prevent us from reaching an arrangement,” Ms. Livni said in an Israeli television interview broadcast Saturday night, referring to Mr. Ariel’s right-wing faction.“The entire Jewish Home and Uri Ariel, first and foremost, have only been waiting for an opportunity to continue to build, to make more statements, to bring the world down on our heads and prevent us from reaching an arrangement,” Ms. Livni said in an Israeli television interview broadcast Saturday night, referring to Mr. Ariel’s right-wing faction.
“That is the price of the presence of having Uri Ariel and the Jewish Home in the government,” she added. “I didn’t want them there, and they’re permanent damage.”“That is the price of the presence of having Uri Ariel and the Jewish Home in the government,” she added. “I didn’t want them there, and they’re permanent damage.”
Mr. Ariel called Ms. Livni “insolent” in a radio interview on Sunday morning, and said the tenders were unconnected to the negotiations and meant to help ease Israel’s housing crisis. “The joke is on Minister Livni, who received unlimited credit to make peace,” Mr. Ariel said, “and failed completely. Now she’s looking for someone to blame other than herself.”Mr. Ariel called Ms. Livni “insolent” in a radio interview on Sunday morning, and said the tenders were unconnected to the negotiations and meant to help ease Israel’s housing crisis. “The joke is on Minister Livni, who received unlimited credit to make peace,” Mr. Ariel said, “and failed completely. Now she’s looking for someone to blame other than herself.”
Mr. Netanyahu, in his cabinet remarks, echoed Ms. Livni’s statements that Israel had been about to approve a deal for extending the talks into 2015 when Mr. Abbas acted. The deal was to include Israel’s release of the prisoners originally promised by the end of March, plus 400 others, and “restraint” on West Bank settlement construction, in exchange for the Obama administration’s freeing Jonathan J. Pollard, the former Navy intelligence officer convicted of spying for Israel, and a continued Palestinian commitment not to pursue membership in United Nations bodies.Mr. Netanyahu, in his cabinet remarks, echoed Ms. Livni’s statements that Israel had been about to approve a deal for extending the talks into 2015 when Mr. Abbas acted. The deal was to include Israel’s release of the prisoners originally promised by the end of March, plus 400 others, and “restraint” on West Bank settlement construction, in exchange for the Obama administration’s freeing Jonathan J. Pollard, the former Navy intelligence officer convicted of spying for Israel, and a continued Palestinian commitment not to pursue membership in United Nations bodies.
“During these talks we carried out difficult steps and showed a willingness to continue implementing moves that were not easy — in the coming months as well — in order to create a framework that would allow for putting an end to the conflict between us,” Mr. Netanyahu said.“During these talks we carried out difficult steps and showed a willingness to continue implementing moves that were not easy — in the coming months as well — in order to create a framework that would allow for putting an end to the conflict between us,” Mr. Netanyahu said.
“Just as we were about to enter into that framework for the continuation of the negotiations, Abu Mazen hastened to declare that he is not prepared even to discuss recognizing Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people,” he added, using Mr. Abbas’s nickname. “To my regret, as we reached the moment before agreeing on the continuation of the talks, the Palestinian leadership hastened to unilaterally request to accede” to international conventions.“Just as we were about to enter into that framework for the continuation of the negotiations, Abu Mazen hastened to declare that he is not prepared even to discuss recognizing Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people,” he added, using Mr. Abbas’s nickname. “To my regret, as we reached the moment before agreeing on the continuation of the talks, the Palestinian leadership hastened to unilaterally request to accede” to international conventions.