US Reduces Pressure on Israel

The general consensus after the meeting in Israel between Special Envoy George Mitchell and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is that the US and Israel are progressing towards finding a middle ground.

Ariel Kahane in Makor Rishon-Hatzofe reports that both sides left the meeting satisfied that they were on the path towards a compromise:

Following his meeting with Netanyahu, Mitchell said there had been "good progress" at the meeting.

"We look forward to continuing our discussions to reach a point that we can all move forward to reach a comprehensive peace," he said.

Netanyahu said that the discussions had been "very important and productive" and that "we will continue our efforts to successfully advance toward peace between us and the Palestinians." He said the sides "were progressing."

Maya Bengal in Ma'ariv, however, reports that no agreement was reached regarding the settlement issue and that Netanyahu and Mitchell left the meeting with contradictory beliefs. While Netanyahu left believing that the US is more understanding of Israel's situation and will dramatically reduce pressure on Israel for a settlement freeze, American officials state that the US will not back down on the issue.

Bengal reports:

At the end of the meeting, Netanyahu appeared pleased. "There is progress in the attempt to find a middle road," said a source close to Netanyahu. Senior sources in Jerusalem said that the Americans were dropping the pressure from Israel, as of now, mainly with regard to the major bone of contention between Washington and Jerusalem: The demand to freeze construction in the settlements as a preliminary step to launching regional peace negotiations. "There has been progress in the American understanding that this is a freeze that can only exist after normalization measures have been obtained from the Arab states and as part of talks on a final status arrangement," said a senior source yesterday. American officials involved in the talks said, however, that the US had not backed down. "The demand to freeze the construction in the settlements still stands," said a US official.

Shlomo Cezana in Israel Hayom reports that although no agreement was reached in the meeting, enough improvements were made so that negotiations can begin as early as September.

A senior source in the Prime Minister's Bureau assessed yesterday that the diplomatic process with the Palestinians would only move forward after Israel and the US reach understandings between them. The source predicted that the Americans would ultimately succeed in obtaining gestures for Israel from the Arab states in order to start up a regional peace process, perhaps even within the coming month.

A senior official in Abu Mazen's bureau told Israel Hayom yesterday that "the renewal of negotiations with Israel appears closer than ever." According to the senior Palestinian official, "if the gaps between the sides are bridged, the negotiations may start officially after the holidays in Israel, towards the end of September, upon the conclusion of Ramadan." The London-based Al-Hayat reported yesterday that a senior figure in Mitchell's entourage had suggested to Abu Mazen to set a time limit for negotiations on the final status arrangement, which the senior figure said would last for a year and a half.

Part of the change in the US's attitude towards the settlement issue may be a result of the their new attitude towards the Arab countries. While the Obama administration had previously used the settlement issue as a prerequisite for negotiations, a new tactic has begun where the US demands concessions from the Arab states as well.

Nathan Guttman in Ha'aretz reports:

So far, the Arabs have been resistant. Still, in the wake of Obama's White House meeting with the Jewish delegation, Israeli, American and Arab leaders have, to varying degrees, shifted their rhetoric in ways that reflect acceptance of a new principle of reciprocity.

"The Americans now understand that if they get anything from us on the settlement issue, it will only be in the broader context of some kind of Arab return," said an Israeli diplomat, echoing other similar comments from Israeli officials recently.

"Progress toward peace cannot be the responsibility of the United States - or Israel - alone," Clinton told the Council on Foreign Relations. "Arab states have a responsibility to support the Palestinian Authority with words and deeds, to take steps to improve relations with Israel and to prepare their publics to embrace peace and accept Israel's place in the region."