Saudi Arabia, Jordan Reject Olmert�s Plan
Hisham Abu Taha, Arab News

Saudi Arabia and Jordan [June 7] rejected Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert�s unilateral withdrawal plan from the West Bank and urged Palestinians and Israelis to resume peace negotiations, an official said yesterday after talks between Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Jordan�s King Abdallah in Riyadh.

�The two kings stressed their rejection of unilateral solutions which Israel is trying to implement in the Palestinian territories,� the AFP news agency quoted an official accompanying the Jordanian king as saying. The summit came on the eve of King Abdallah�s meeting with Prime Minister Olmert in Amman.

The two Arab leaders called for a resumption of the peace process based on an Arab initiative drawn up by Saudi Arabia in 2002 and the international road map peace plan, the Jordanian official said. They also called on Palestinian factions to �discard disputes and protect national unity,� he added.

The Saudi-Jordan summit talks come against the backdrop of a new international initiative to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in coordination with Washington. It follows another summit meeting recently between the Saudi king and President Hosni Mubarak in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

�The two leaders discussed the latest developments at Arab, Islamic and international levels, most importantly the Palestinian issue and the situation in Iraq as well as prospects of expanding bilateral cooperation,� the Saudi Press Agency said.

Top Saudi officials including Crown Prince Sultan, Interior Minister Prince Naif, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal attended the talks in Riyadh with members of the delegation accompanying the Jordanian king.

The Riyadh talks took place after the Hamas-led government agreed with the Fatah movement to withdraw its private militia from public areas of Gaza. 

Brokered by Egyptian diplomats, the deal came amid a deeper disagreement over an ultimatum by President Mahmoud Abbas to recognize Israel or face a referendum on the idea. Abbas, who heads Fatah, has given the Islamic group until the weekend to respond.

The black-clad Hamas militia has been at the center of a brewing power struggle. Hamas deployed the 3,000-member force last month throughout Gaza, sparking violence that has claimed 16 lives.

Reprinted with permission of Arab News

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