Interesting twist in the peace talks…it is always interesting when time tables get set.
_________________________________________________________________
U.S. proposes Israel lease lands from Palestinians under future deal
According to Asharq al-Awsat, U.S. offers in secret negotiations that Israel lease lands in E. Jerusalem from future Palestinian state for 40-99 years.
Israel is conducting secret negotiations with the U.S. on establishing the future borders of a Palestinian state, the London-based Arabic language daily Asharq al-Awsat reported on Friday.
According to the report, Palestinian sources confirmed that the two sides discussed an option wherein Israel may lease lands in East Jerusalem from the Palestinians in exchange for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Israel would lease the territories from the Palestinian state for a period of 40 to 99 years.
The Palestinian sources said that the talks are an American initiative that has been going on for some time in order to obtain an understanding with Israel regarding the terms surrounding a future Palestinian state.
The Palestinian Authority apparently has only recently been made aware of the talks and hasn’t been given the details of the proposal.
An Egyptian source told the newspaper that the negotiations are “more quiet than secret, and are meant to try to save the peace process.”
Neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the U.S. government agreed to comment on the report.
——————–
Report: Israel, US discuss land lease from Palestinians
Al-Sharq al-Awsat daily reports of possibility that Israel will lease land in east Jerusalem, Jordan Valley from future Palestinian state
Israel is holding secret negotiations with the American administration in an effort to reach understandings vis-à-vis the establishment of a Palestinian state and its demarcation, the London-based newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat reported Friday.
Palestinian sources confirmed that both sides were discussing the option that Israel would lease land in east Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley from the Palestinian state for 40-99 years.
According to one of the sources, the initiative, which he said was “American, not Israeli,” has been on the table for a while now “in order to reach common ground with the Israeli side regarding the borders issue and to reach an agreement on what will remain under Israeli sovereignty.”
The Prime Minister’s Office refused to comment on the report, but Ophir Gendelman, head of the Foreign Ministry’s Arabic media department was quoted by the newspaper as saying, “We are conducting intense negotiations with the US administration in an effort to resume direct talks with the Palestinians.”
Officials in Washington also refused to confirm or deny the report on the new initiative. A State Department source told the paper that Israel and the US are discussing matters “as a part of the close relations between the two countries.”
_________________________________________________________________
Click on the article title for a link to full original referenced article.
myBlessedHope 