Uploaded. This week’s update is 31 minutes.
You may view the 5 minute update this week via audio:
In this week’s 5 minute update, we focused on:
1) The current status of the Israel / PLO peace process
US President Barack Obama visited the Middle East in March discussing with Israel and the Palestinians ways to restart peace talks between them. In his visit, Obama expressed his desire to see a “performance-based progression” in the talks — with measurable change on the ground as the criterion for gradual steps toward a “broad agreement. The United States is exploring the possibility of restarting Israel / Palestinian peace talks based upon the 2002 Arab peace initiative. The 2002 Arab peace proposal was discussed between the US and Palestinian negotiators when a Palestinian delegation met with the Obama administration two weeks prior to Obama’s March visit to the Middle East. In these meetings, Obama made it clear to them that this would be the new direction for US diplomacy in the region. As a result, when Obama visited the Middle East in March, he raised the possibility to both Israel and the Palestinians that the 2002 Arab peace initiative be the framework for an eventual peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
In order to accomplish this objective, US Secretary of State, John Kerry, has made several trips to the Middle East in the past few weeks to try to find the right formula to restart direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. While in Israel, Kerry had meetings with Justice Minister Tzipi Livni — the new ministerial overseer of Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts — along with Netanyahu’s National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror and his key negotiator, lawyer Yitzhak Molcho. Livni described Kerry’s efforts as being “very determined, very energetic and very committed to the two-state solution.” Livni expressed her views that a peace agreement with the Palestinians is the “only way to protect Zionism”.
The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which also has been referred to as the “Saudi peace plan,” was first proposed in March 2002 at a meeting of the Arab League. It stipulated that Israel withdraw from areas occupied in the 1967 Middle East War – namely the Golan Heights, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip – and allow the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. In return, Arab nations would pledge to adopt normal relations with Israel. However, there are currently several major obstacles for both sides to accept the plan. Israel objects to some details of the plan and the Palestinians are refusing to change any aspect of it. Kerry has proposed two small changes to the plan to make it more acceptable to Israel. First, the pre-1967 borders could be modified through mutual agreement. Secondly, provide Israel with stronger security guarantees. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the 2002 Arab peace proposal could not be changed.
While being in the area, Kerry also met with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh. A senior Palestinians official said that talks with Kerry initiated a US effort of a genuine intervention in the peace process and that the US will, by the end of May, present a plan of action to the two sides for the next political steps.” Jordan is willing to host any future peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. A Jordanian official said that a four-way summit between the US, Israel, the Palestinians and Jordan is being planned in May to restart peace talks.
In seeking this objective, Kerry has asked both Israel and the Palestinians to refrain from doing things which would harm the process. In this regard, Kerry has persuaded Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas from taking possible unilateral actions against Israel at the United Nations until the end of May. The Palestinians have threatened to take Israel to the International Criminal Court unless they discontinue building Jewish homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
For its part, Israel has also agreed to not announce any new settlement construction projects until the end of May. Furthermore, Israel agreed to transfer to the Palestinians tax funds that it receives on a monthly basis. Israel has not transferred to the Palestinians any tax funds since November when the Palestinians sought recognition for a Palestinian state based upon 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital and to upgrade their status at the UN General Assembly from being an observer to a non-member state. In addition, the US unblocked almost $500 million in foreign aid to the Palestinians which had been frozen in the US Congress for months.
However, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has presented Kerry which is list of Palestinian conditions in order to resume talks. They include the following:
1) Israel must present the Palestinians with a map for a Palestinian state based upon 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
2) Israel must stop building Jewish homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem
3) Israel must transfer parts of Area C in the West Bank which is under full Israeli control to the Palestinians.
4) Israel must agree to refrain from withholding in the future any monthly Palestinian tax revenues collected by Israel
5) Israel must immediately release Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails
However, Israel has refused to meet these preconditions saying that doing so would weaken its negotiation position. In any agreement with the Palestinians, Israel insists that it includes the following:
1) A demilitarized Palestinian state
2) A waive of the Palestinian right of return
3) PLO recognition of a Jewish state
4) The meeting of Israel’s security needs including military control over the Jordan Valley
In any event, US Secretary of State, John Kerry announced that the United States plans to reveal a new economic initiative intended to improve life for the Palestinians. In doing so, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to promote Palestinian economic development, remove barriers to commerce and increase business expansion and private sector investment in the West Bank. Speaking of Kerry’s efforts, Netanyahu said, “We welcome any initiatives that you and others may suggest. I am determined not only to resume the peace process with the Palestinians but to make a serious effort to end this conflict once and for all. However, any peace proposal must recognize Israel as a Jewish state and meet Israel’s security needs. The Palestinians said that any economic agreements alone will not cause them alone to restart peace talks with Israel. In response, Kerry said that the United States wants to make it clear that whatever steps we take with respect to economics are in no way a substitute, but they are in addition to the political track. The political track is first and foremost; other things may happen to supplement it.”
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attended an Arab League summit in Qatar where he appealed to the Arab League to protest to the UN and the international community to “stop Israel’s settlement policy in the West Bank, with an emphasis on East Jerusalem.” A delegation representing the Arab League is scheduled to arrive in the United States in the coming weeks to discuss ideas for renewing peace talks based upon two chief principles: A predetermined timetable for talks and operational decisions for ending the occupation and facilitating the establishment of a Palestinian state along 1967 borders, with a capital in East Jerusalem.
Chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat said the Palestinians would wait be willing to wait for as long as two more months to see if the Obama administration can come up with a formula to restart peace talks. If the deadlock persists, he insisted that the Palestinians will move ahead with further international recognition in various UN organizations. The Palestinians have 63 international agencies we can join,” he said.
Finally, Jordan’s King Abdullah and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas signed an agreement confirming their “common goal to defending” Jerusalem and their opposition to efforts to “Judaize” the eternal capital of Israel. Palestinian Authority Religious Affairs Minister Mahmoud al-Habash said the agreement confirmed Jordan’s role as protector of the city’s holy sites and “Palestinian sovereignty over all of Palestine, including its capital East Jerusalem.” In this historic agreement, Abbas reiterated that King Abdullah is the custodian of holy sites in Jerusalem and that he has the right to exert all legal efforts to preserve them, especially the Al-Aqsa mosque. The agreement also stated that “Jerusalem is currently facing major challenges and attempts to change its Arab, Muslim and Christian identity.”
The link to these articles are as follows:
1) Obama, Kerry dust off old Arab peace proposal in push to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict
2) Kerry visit revives possibility of Arab peace plan
3) Obama assigns Kerry to prod sides back to the path of peace
4) Livni: Obama reminded us of imperative for peace deal
5) Kerry meets Netanyahu in bid to get peace talks restarted
6) Kerry’s Offer: You Release Terrorists, They’ll Renew Talks
7) Abbas ‘to suspend unilateral action against Israel’
8.) Palestinian aide: Abbas demands two-state map from Netanyahu
9) Palestinians cool to partial settlement freeze
10) Top Palestinian official: Partial Israeli settlement freeze not enough for resuming talks
11) PA: Key to resuming peace talks in Israel’s hands
12) Netanyahu Allows Transfer of PA Funds
13) U.S. Quietly Unblocks Financial Aid to PA
14) Kerry in another bid to get Israel, PA to talk
15) Jerusalem won’t hand Kerry list of concessions
16) Israeli source: There will be no gestures towards Palestinians
17) Officials say ‘no thanks’ to Kerry plan to jump-start talks
18) Kerry visit: Israel does not foresee breakthrough
19) Kerry tries to woo Abbas with land-for-talks deal
20) Kerry to unveil new PA economic initiative
21) Kerry’s economic offer alone won’t bring new talks, Palestinians say
22) PA Official: Kerry Will Present ‘Plan of Action’ in Two Months
23) US peace initiative coming ‘in the next two months’
25) Kerry talks mark start of US peace drive: Palestinians
26) Report: US promoting peace summit in Jordan
27) US reportedly suggests Israeli-Palestinian summit in May
28) Palestinians: We reserve right to turn to The Hague if peace talks with Israel fail
29) PA Threatens Appeal to Hague over Israeli Homes
30) PA, Jordan Ink Deal to ‘Defend’ Jerusalem Against ‘Judaization’
From a Biblical prophetic perspective, the reason why the God of Israel would allow these events to happen is because it will result in the end of the exile of the house of Jacob and the reunification of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ephraim and Judah).
We will to be “watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem” and we will not rest until the God of Israel makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62).
Shalom in Yeshua the Messiah,
Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int’l