Saudi Arabia questions US intentions at upcoming summit, Israeli Foreign Minister rejects implementation timetable for any future agreement with Palestinians

Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, has expressed a willingness to 'normalize' relations with Israel, if Israel does its part in truly resolving the conflict with the Palestinians. But at the same time, he stated that he is doubtful that the US has the best intentions in calling for a peace summit later this month.

Israeli Foreign Minister rejects implementation timetable

Friday November 02, 2007 09:21 by John Smith - IMEMC & agencies johnsmithimemc at gmail dot com

Israeli occupation government foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, on Thursday rejected Palestinian calls for a timetable of implementation for any future peace agreement, arguing that such a move would be counterproductive.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

Speaking at a press conference in Tel-Aviv, Livni claimed that the Israeli negotiating team would not accept a timeline for negotiations or state-creation.

"Creating timetables, which are often not carried out, as it happened every time in the past, creates expectations that are then not carried out, and create violence and terror," the Israeli Foreign Minister stated.

Livni's comments come several days after Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qoreia stated there could be no negations on a peace deal without a deadline for the creation of a future Palestinian state.

"The Israeli prime minister has stated that he will not accept a timetable, and we say we will not accept negotiations without a timetable," Qoreia stated.

Meanwhile, Israeli media on Thursday reported aides close to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as indicating that Israeli would meet all its road-map obligations, including illegal outpost evacuation.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak cautioned, however, that such a move would not happen before January.