Saudi Arabia Rejects Improved Israel Ties

(AP)  Saudi Arabia on Friday bluntly rejected U.S. appeals for improved relations with Israel as a way to help restart Middle East peace talks, saying the Jewish state is not interested in a deal.

After talks with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said his country will not consider steps suggested by U.S. Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell until Israel accepts Arab demands to withdraw from all occupied Palestinian territories.

"Incrementalism and a step-by-step approach, has not and, we believe, will not lead to peace," Saud said as Clinton looked on at a joint State Department news conference. "Temporary security and confidence building measures will also not bring peace."

"What is required is a comprehensive approach that defines the final outcome at the outset and launches into negotiations over final status issues," the prince said, referring to the borders of a future Palestinian state, control of Jerusalem, the return of Palestinian refugees, water and security.

President Barack Obama, Clinton and Mitchell all have been urging Arab nations to improve ties with Israel with confidence-building measures such as opening trade offices, allowing academic exchanges and permitting civilian Israeli aircraft to overfly their airspace as a way of demonstrating their commitment to peace.

Clinton repeated that call in her remarks, saying the Obama administration wants "the Arab states, including our friends in Saudi Arabia, to work with us to take steps to improve relations with Israel, to support the Palestinian Authority and to prepare their people to embrace the eventual peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis."

"Saudi Arabia's continued leadership is absolutely vital to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace," she said.

But Saud flatly rejected such steps. He maintained that Israel was trying to distract the world from a Saudi-proposed Arab-Israel peace deal in which Arab states would recognize Israel provided it withdraws from Arab territory seized in the 1967 war.

"The question really is, What will Israel give in exchange for this comprehensive settlement offer?" Saud said, noting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ignored U.S. calls to stop constructing Jewish settlements in the West Bank and building housing in East Jerusalem.

"Israel hasn't even responded to an American request to halt settlements, which President Obama described as illegitimate," he said.

The Saudi stance is complicating Mitchell's efforts to bring the Israelis and Palestinians back to negotiations.

But Clinton denied that the odds were insurmountable. She said Mitchell, who just returned from his fifth trip to the region, was making progress and developing a formula to get the two sides talking again.

"We feel like we're making headway and we are determined to do so in as short a period of time as possible," she said.

[hamiltongrad]

Why is the US taking in over 1500 Palestineans from IRA Q ??? The IRAQ now lierated army has attacked these camps where Saddam had kept his brown shirted Palestin. terrorists, that he used to brutally take over Kuwaitt in early 90s. Us took over, and gave them protection. Now Iraq wants them out of their county ! !! Where is the outrage, CNN, NGOs ?

Also the new IRAQ is bombing another CAmp that has IRAN ex military that deserted , also given US protection. This is one hell of a place.

Again I ask , where is the outrage ? Where is CNN ? the MEDIA, the cameras ??

[lars008-2009]

interesting,,, has islam banned slavery of non-muslims yet???

[iam4honesty]

Can someone tell me what Israel exports? Where do these people get money? How do they support themselves?

In fact, Israel is a welfare state. The food they eat, the homes they build, the guns they shoot... all paid for by American taxpayers.

I's time to kick these freeloaders down the street.

[formrusmcsgt]

In general, I support Obama's foreign policy.

But asking that Saudi Arabia "play nice" with Israel while it maintains it's apartheid against the Palestinians and continues to build illegal settlements in the West Bank appears to be terminally naive on the administration's part.

Why would Saudi Arabia risk the scorn of other Arab nations for Israel's benefit?

Stupid.

[formrusmcsgt]

In fact, I'll go myself one better:

The simple fact that such a ludicrous request was even made shows unmitigated naivete' on the administration's part.

The Saudis probably laughed right out loud....

[formrusmcsgt]

Yeah. Hillary is sitting there with a "I can't believe we even asked" look on her mug.....

[formrusmcsgt]

"Why don`t you admit, once and for all, that, like all agents of Arab governments who post on this board, you have taken on a patriotic-sounding, Mom-and-apple-pie pseudonym, to disguise who you really are?"
by juwboy August 1, 2009 5:11 AM EDT

Because I do not lie. I have two honorable discharges from the USMC hanging on my wall which give me the right to use the moniker.

Like all intellectual midgets, you attempt to promote your agenda through personal attacks and demonization because you can't debate on fact.

Twit.

[Sloughfoot]

You're full of it.

[FauxNews]

So, this means the 3,000 year old race war will continue? Is this even news?

[ibsteve2u]

See, we just throw all 20 million of our illegals out, and evacuate Israel and bring their 7 million over here.

We get some residents who will not sell their country out even for money (we might consider replacing our Republicans in politics with them, wholesale), and we net out a huge decrease in the burden on our social services.

And Israeli engineering is top-notch!

Then the Arabs can fight over those rocks and piles of dirt...those false idols that all three of the religions of Abraham strictly forbid worshipping.

[ibsteve2u]

Wish I'd said "We get some citizens..."...if I could do it, I wouldn't do it half-@ssed.

That whole Middle East scenario - people being manipulated into dying for religion and/or oil - angers me sufficiently to affect my in-flight proofreading.

[ibsteve2u]

And that "dying for religion"? That is a d@mned lie, too - the biggest hoax humanity has ever perpetuated upon itself is the use of religions that each preach peace to justify war.

It is about lust; the lust for Wealth, and Power.

[ibsteve2u]

Obviously George W. Bush needs to have another dance and exchange some more kisses with the Prince.

[speakinup22]

NO, no, no... you have it all wrong, stevie... It is Barry's turn to bow and scrape. Don't you remember ?

Sheese, and just last week you were saying "we won!".

SO much for the short term memory...

[aldon62]

Let's ALL back out and let Israel take care of business. This includes the United States.........butt out!

[ibsteve2u]

America, butt out? Does that mean tell Israel to return the weapons we've sold them?

lolll...I wager that wasn't what you meant.

[vietnamwar]

Hillary forget her RESET BUTTON.