Saudi Arabia Rejects Improved Israel Ties

Despite U.S. Appeals, Foreign Minister Says Country Will Not Improve Relations Without Comprehensive Deal

(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.

[formrusmcsgt]

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.
---
And with good reason. Saudi Arabia understands that Israel wants the status quo ad infinitim, not peace.

[SouthwestisBest]

Sounds to me like it's the Saudi princes that want the ad infinitim, did you read the article?

How many time does Israel have to tell them, they can have the Gaza and the West Bank, all they have to do is lay down their arms, recognize Irael as a sovereign state.

How simple is that?

And no, they're not going to give the nomadic bedouins property that never belonged to them in the first place which the Jews bought legally from the Ottomen Empire.

Over 50 years now, and those nomadic bedoins haven't even so much as built themselves an electric plant, planted a crop, put in a water system, or made an attempt to feed themselves.

Why do you think none of the Arabic states wants these people? The Arabic states slammed their borders and built walls around them also.

[SouthwestisBest]

It's okay, I don't expect that you would understand facts, reality and history.

[SouthwestisBest]

Well, no you don't have much use for facts, just silly accusations and attacks.

Why don't you try putting up your own opinions once in awhile instead of attacking everybody elses.

Don't have any facts, don't know any facts? Of course you don't!

[speakinup22]

More proof formusmcsgt is not a Former US Marine, rather a terrorist sympathizer. Are all your buddies going to be out of Gitmo by the end of the year ?

[aldon62]

Can't believe this Rowdy, I actually agree with you 100%. Recognize Israel, no more problems! See girl, we're sometimes not too far apart.

[hamiltongrad]

Didn't Israel just up the Gaza ?

What is more interesting story is ... IRAQ has been attacking the Palestinians who had been given Terrorist safehaven by Saddam , in Bagdad, and after, were protected by the US Troops in camps ! The US has allowed ( or soon will) 1500 of these potential terrorists to come to US as special status, all living in Southern CAlifornia, at our expense , free this and that. Wow. This tells so much about the whole damn place. ///Where is the MEDIA ? with all the crockodile tears and outrage , where is CNN at the Pal refugee camps in IRAQ, seeing the people herded into shelters ? Where is the UN demanding rights for the Palest in IRAQ ? They were used as henchmen in Kuwaitt ( remember who ARAFAT supported SADAMM ? ) and are thus hated by so many people, and yet they are letting these TERRORISTS into the USA ? Why not send them to GAZA ??? There must be some reason the peaceful Kuwaitti don't want anything to do with them too.

[a7mda7md]

southwestisbest ,,
I still can't understand how 20% of jews and only that percentage is the only people claiming the right of this state, kissing ***** to be named country. Does that mean , the rest of jews who are not supporting your ideas and methodologies of getting your so called 'home' are
wrong !?
Plus,I deeply advise you , to get harder on yourself doing your research , read more and get back shouting with a better sense to make ,, It's very true , that Jews had that land for about 70 years . However, Arabs have had owned that land for more than 4000 years .
Hence, If jews had to go on for such a right ! how about we muslims ask for our rights in Spain , our 800 yr land .
Somebody's laughing of course ,, that's exactly how a FREE-MINDED person would react .

[HGOODGUY]

MY GOD!!! WHAT A SHOCK!!!!!

[beaumuff]

Looks like Hillary got her foot shoved up her azzz.Now we got two of them,Biden sticks his in his mouth.

[woozybarnes]

This is just another PR stunt by Israel and the Saudis aren't going for it. Good for them. The last time Israel pulled one of these propaganda tricks, the Saudis attended. Israel announced big progress and some agreements and made sure they got hugely covered in the media. Less than 24 hours later, the Israelis canceled the agreements. You can only pull this nonsense off so many times. They need to put their money where their mouth is but somehow the west keeps buying their cynicism, hypocracy and deceit. Not the Saudis tho. Its just a show for the ignorant masses.