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Peace Talks Snag on Jerusalem

Palestinians want to discuss issue Israelis say isn't on the table

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 19, 2008 6:14 AM CST
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(Newser) – Peace talks between Israel and Palestinians were set to resume today as leaders were already entangled in a first major clash: over whether or not they agreed that Jerusalem would be part of the discussion. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has claimed the Palestinians agreed to put off discussing Jerusalem. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas insisted they have not.

"We will postpone dealing with Jerusalem to the last phase of the negotiation" process, Olmert said, stressing that Abbas "accepted" his position. But a Palestinian spokesman called Jerusalem a "fundamental" issue that "cannot be postponed." Palestinian officials also angrily reacted to a statement by an Israeli minister that the government intended to press on with building Jewish settlements on Arab land in Jerusalem.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a press conference at Bahrain International Airport in Muharraq, Bahrain, on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008. Negotiations with Israel are set to resume Tuesday. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a press conference at Bahrain International Airport in Muharraq, Bahrain, on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008. Negotiations with Israel are set to resume Tuesday....   (Associated Press)
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gestures to the crowd before speaking at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations' annual dinner in Jerusalem, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians are set to resume Tuesday. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gestures to the crowd before speaking at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations' annual dinner in Jerusalem, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008. Peace...   (Associated Press)
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, right, shakes hand with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting in Jerusalem, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008. Talks will resume Tuesday but amid acrimony over when the status of Jerusalem may be discussed. (AP Photo/ GPO, Amos Ben Gershom, HO)
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, right, shakes hand with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting in Jerusalem, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008. Talks will resume Tuesday but amid acrimony over...   (Associated Press)
Israeli soldiers stand near tanks in a staging area near the Sufa crossing between Israel and Gaza, Monday, Feb. 18, 2008. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gave his military a free hand to hit Gaza militants after a rocket slammed into a house in an Israeli town following a visit...
Israeli soldiers stand near tanks in a staging area near the Sufa crossing between Israel and Gaza, Monday, Feb. 18, 2008. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gave his military a "free hand" to hit Gaza...   (Associated Press)
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Peace Talks

Israel, US agree to delay talks on Jerusalem
Haaretz (Israel)

Palestinians deny Jerusalem talks shelved
Daily Star (Lebanon)

Fudging the game of talking about Jerusalem
Jerusalem Post (Israel)

 
Israel • Ehud Olmert • Gaza • Mahmoud Abbas • Palestine • Hamas • Jerusalem • West Bank • settlement • road map • East Jerusalem • Har Homa • peace talks • settlers • coalition

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