Breaking News for Peace
This is the first time in 20 months any agreement for negotiations has been met
Via The NY Times:
Israelis and Palestinians to Resume Talks, Officials Say
This is a developing story. But it's good news... It's a start toward peace.
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to announce Friday that Israel and the Palestinians will return to direct negotiations for the first time in 20 months, delivering the Obama administration a small victory in its protracted effort to revive the Middle East peace process, two officials briefed on the situation said Thursday evening.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, have agreed to place a one-year time limit on the talks, these officials said.
President Obama is expected to invite both leaders to Washington in early September to start the negotiations, which will cover thorny issues like the borders of a new Palestinian state, the political status of Jerusalem, security guarantees for Israel and right of return for Palestinian refugees.
The Obama administration declined to confirm the announcement, which was first reported by Reuters, with an official cautioning that final details were still being worked out and that the timing could slip by a day or so.
Via HAARETZ:
Quartet 'aims to start Mideast peace talks September 2'
World powers will invite Israelis and Palestinians to begin direct peace talks on Sept. 2 in Washington, a diplomatic source said on Thursday.
Envoys from the so-called Quartet of powers - the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - agreed to the details on Thursday, the source told Reuters. A formal statement is due to be issued on Friday.
"They've got an agreement that the talks will start on September 2 in Washington," said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Israelis and Palestinians were expected to agree to attend, and President Barack Obama would be present at the talks, the source said.
Via Reuters:
World powers aim to open Mideast talks next month
Obama wants face-to-face talks started well before September 26, when Israel's 10-month moratorium on Jewish settlement building in the occupied West Bank is due to end. Full-scale return to settlement construction could sink the talks for good.
UPDATE: Christy1947 also has a diary on this news which I didn't see until I published this:
Direct Israel Palestinian Talks scheduled? For 9/2?