7/25/2007

Historic Visit to Promote Peace

This morning (Israel time), the Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Jordan landed in Israel to formally offer Israel a peace plan on behalf of the Arab League.
Both Egypt and Jordan have signed Peace Agreements with Israel (more of a cold peace than a warm peace), but the Arab League as an organization has been hostile until recently.

According to the NY Times website:
'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.

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, normalization and any contact with Israel and this is the first time the Arab League has authorized a delegation to visit Israel.''

Now, they are offering a peace plan. Israel will not accept a plan that includes full withdrawal from East Jerusalem (which includes the Old City and large numbers of Jewish neighborhoods but also contains the bulk of the Arab population of the city) and the population centers of the West Bank. Still, Israel will be forced to respond and hopefully a real negotiation can resume.

I am hopeful that peace is one step closer than before. May it come speedily in our day!
Rabbi Bruce

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