ISRAELI PRESS REVIEW Major Headlines of 22.07.2013

Israeli Press Review of 22.07.2013

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will bring the issues of peace talks resumption and Palestinian prisoners’ release to a cabinet vote, a source familiar with the details told Yediot Aharonot on Sunday.

The source noted that the „prime minister wants to present the ministers with the issues of resuming negotiations and that of the prisoners, and put them up for discussion as well as approval.”

According to the source, „it is possible that the cabinet meeting will turn into a (governing) coalition meeting dealing with these issues.”

Israel has already committed to the gradual release of 82 Palestinian prisoners in four groups from those serving time in Israel from the period prior to the Oslo Accords: The first at the beginning of the second month of negotiations, and the rest every two additional months. The release of prisoners in the latter stages is stipulated on the seriousness exhibited by the Palestinians as peace talks progress.

A senior military source said that the release of the prisoners is part of goodwill gestures aimed at appeasing the Palestinians: „All those imprisoned from the Oslo period need to be released – especially after we released Hamas prisoners. Morally, this is difficult in regards to the (bereaved) families, but in the current situation, we can and should release them.”

Click here to read the full article in Yediot Aharonot

 

• Netanyahu backs referendum for any future peace deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to rush through the Knesset a new law that would make any peace deal with the Palestinians contingent on the Israeli public’s approval in a national referendum, the Jerusalem Post reports, citing government sources.

According to sources in the Prime Minister’s Office who spoke to Hebrew Daily Israel Hayom, the move aims to advance the diplomatic process, and shows how serious Netanyahu is about resuming talks.

Netanyahu addressed the referendum in Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, characterising the resumption of talks, which have been on hold since 2010, as a strategic interest.

“I don’t think these decisions can be made, if there is a deal, by one government or another, but need to be brought as a national decision,” he said.

“It won’t be easy,” Netanyahu warned, “but we’re going into the negotiations with integrity and honesty.”

In 2010, the government passed a law making the holding of a national referendum mandatory in any case where Israel would be required to surrender sovereignty over territories it had annexed — i.e. East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. The new bill would expand that law to require a referendum prior to handing over any land as part of a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

Click here to read the full article in Times of Israel

 

• Peres hosts Iftar dinner

Israeli President Shimon Peres hosted an Iftar dinner at his residence on Sunday night for spiritual and lay leaders and the youth of Muslim communities in Israel, the Jerusalem Post reports.

While welcoming the possible resumption of the peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Qadi Daoud Al-Zeini of the Sharia Court of Appeals said that Israeli Arabs are concerned about the hatred and intolerance that may be festering simultaneously in Israel.

He urged the president to use his influence to prevent the price tag war from erupting into something even more damaging.

Peres commended PA leader Mahmoud Abbas for taking “a brave and historic decision to return to negotiations” and advised him not to listen to the skeptics.

The president also noted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s brave decision, based on his understanding that this was an historic opportunity.

“We will do all that we can to solve the conflict and live together in peace,” said Peres. “We want to see both nations going down the right path.”

Peres also had warm words of appreciation for Kerry, who despite all odds had persevered with dogged determination to get the peace process back on track.

Click here to read the full article in Jerusalem Post

 

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