Arab League extends ‘hand of peace’

JERUSALEM – The foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan began a historic visit to Israel yesterday to formally present an Arab peace plan, saying they were extending ‘a hand of peace’ on behalf of the region.

The ministers arrived as representatives of the Arab League, the first time the 22-member group has sent a delegation to Israel. The Arab League peace plan envisions full recognition of Israel in return for evacuation of lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war.”We are extending a hand of peace on behalf of the whole region to you, and we hope that we will be able to create the momentum needed to resume fruitful and productive negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world,” Jordan’s foreign minister, Abdul-Ilah Khatib, said at a news conference with Israeli President Shimon Peres.Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the two delegates had been asked by the league ‘to come and offer Israel the Arab peace initiative’.He urged Israel to consider the plan seriously.”We hope that upon our return, we would also convey to the Arab League …the responses of Israel and I hope that such responses will be positive,” he said.Aboul Gheit and Khatib were slated to meet later yesterday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and to appear at the Israeli parliament.The visit, a day after the maiden voyage of new Mideast peace envoy Tony Blair, is part of a flurry of diplomatic efforts meant to restart peace talks after a seven-year lull.Egypt and Jordan both have peace treaties with Israel and have sent their leaders to the country before, but never on behalf of the Arab League, which has traditionally been hostile toward the Jewish state.Foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev said the visit was historic.”This is the first time that a delegation is coming here under the auspices of the Arab League,” he said.”In the past, the Arab League has opposed dialogue, normalisation and any contact with Israel and this is the first time the Arab League has authorised a delegation to visit Israel.”The Arab League asked Jordan and Egypt to take the lead in pushing forward their newly revived peace plan, which offers a comprehensive peace agreement in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal from all territories captured in 1967.Israel rejected the plan when Saudi Arabia first proposed it in 2002, at the height of the Palestinian uprising.But it softened its resistance after moderate Arab states endorsed the plan again in March.Nampa-APThe Arab League peace plan envisions full recognition of Israel in return for evacuation of lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war.”We are extending a hand of peace on behalf of the whole region to you, and we hope that we will be able to create the momentum needed to resume fruitful and productive negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world,” Jordan’s foreign minister, Abdul-Ilah Khatib, said at a news conference with Israeli President Shimon Peres.Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the two delegates had been asked by the league ‘to come and offer Israel the Arab peace initiative’.He urged Israel to consider the plan seriously.”We hope that upon our return, we would also convey to the Arab League …the responses of Israel and I hope that such responses will be positive,” he said.Aboul Gheit and Khatib were slated to meet later yesterday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and to appear at the Israeli parliament.The visit, a day after the maiden voyage of new Mideast peace envoy Tony Blair, is part of a flurry of diplomatic efforts meant to restart peace talks after a seven-year lull.Egypt and Jordan both have peace treaties with Israel and have sent their leaders to the country before, but never on behalf of the Arab League, which has traditionally been hostile toward the Jewish state.Foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev said the visit was historic.”This is the first time that a delegation is coming here under the auspices of the Arab League,” he said.”In the past, the Arab League has opposed dialogue, normalisation and any contact with Israel and this is the first time the Arab League has authorised a delegation to visit Israel.”The Arab League asked Jordan and Egypt to take the lead in pushing forward their newly revived peace plan, which offers a comprehensive peace agreement in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal from all territories captured in 1967.Israel rejected the plan when Saudi Arabia first proposed it in 2002, at the height of the Palestinian uprising.But it softened its resistance after moderate Arab states endorsed the plan again in March.Nampa-AP