Israel Ready for Peace Talks at U.N., Ambassador Says
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor, said in an interview on Tuesday that Israel “is ready to negotiate tomorrow,” with the Palestinians.
In an interview with Army Radio, Prosor discussed attempts to arrange a meeting between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their mutual visit to New York before the UN vote on Palestinian statehood, which is due to take place on September 23.
“We repeat that we are ready for negotiations with no conditions even early tomorrow morning,” the Israel envoy said.
Diplomatic efforts are continuing to prevent unilateral steps “that will not help peace,” Prosor added.
Abbas, who is currently in New York holding meetings in preparation for the UN vote on told Fox News on Monday, “I will meet any Israeli official any time,” although he added that “there is no use if there is nothing tangible.”
Earlier on Monday, Netanyahu called Abbas to meet with him in New York in a statement he gave before leaving for the UN headquarters, where he will be trying to thwart the Palestinian statehood bid.
Netanyahu said on Sunday he expected that the Palestinian bid for UN state recognition would fail and that this might help the Palestinians “come to their senses” and rejoin direct peace talks.
Abbas in New York is pushing ahead with plans to seek full UN membership for a Palestinian state, a move the United States and Israel say could lead to disaster.
For more, go to Haaretz.com
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