Obama’s ideas sought
REGIONAL OFFICIALS HOPE PRESIDENT CAN BREAK ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN IMPASSE

By The Associated Press Comments 0
Published: September 26, 2009

UNITED NATIONS — The head of the Arab League and the Egyptian foreign minister on Friday urged President Barack Obama to present his own outline of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, in order to break the current logjam and spur negotiations.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas remain far apart on what it takes to return to peace talks, despite vigorous U.S. mediation this week, including an Obama-hosted meeting of the two leaders.

The key disputes are over continued Israeli settlement construction and what should be on the agenda of future talks.

Abbas says he won’t resume talks without an internationally mandated settlement freeze. He insists that talks resume where they broke off last year, under Netanyahu’s more pragmatic predecessor, and that all issues be on the table. Netanyahu says a partition of Jerusalem and a possible repatriation of Palestinian refugees are not up for discussion.

On Friday, Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly that "the settlement policy … will abort opportunities to relaunch the peace process” and warned that time for a deal is running out.

He said international peace efforts have been "confronted by Israeli intransigence, which refuses to adhere to the requirements for relaunching the peace process.”

In reiterating his position on the world stage, Abbas signaled that he’s not prepared to budge.

Netanyahu has been insistent on his right to keep building, even though an internationally backed peace blueprint of 2003 demands a halt to construction.

Amr Moussa, secretary general of the 23-member Arab League, said Friday that it would be "very useful” to hear from Obama what he considers to be the parameters of a fair peace agreement.