SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES emerged between Israel and the US yesterday as Barack Obama’s Middle East envoy George Mitchell held talks with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem.
Mr Mitchell, making his third trip to the region as US envoy, made it clear that Washington remains committed to the creation of an independent Palestinian state, which he said was in “America’s national interest”.
But Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the US envoy that Israel demands that the Palestinians first recognise Israel as a Jewish state before discussions on a two-state solution.
Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman made it clear that Jerusalem believes a new approach is needed.
“Past prime ministers were prepared to make wide-ranging concessions and the result of the Olmert-Livni government was the second Lebanon war, the operation in Gaza, severance of relations with Qatar and Mauritania, [abducted Israeli soldier] Gilad Shalit still in captivity and the peace process at a dead end,” Mr Lieberman said.
Mr Netanyahu has refused to endorse publicly the establishment of a Palestinian state in a stance that puts his government at odds with the international community.
On Wednesday Egyptian foreign minister Aboul Gheit said his Israeli counterpart, who has made insulting remarks about Egypt and its president Hosni Mubarak in the past, would not be welcome in Egypt “as long as his positions remain as they are”.
Mr Mitchell is trying to gauge Israeli thinking on how to move forward on the Palestinian and Syrian tracks before Mr Obama hosts Jordan’s King Abdullah, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Mr Netanyahu at the White House over the coming weeks.
Following Mr Lieberman’s declaration that Israel was no longer committed to the Annapolis process launched by George Bush, Mr Netanyahu ordered a comprehensive policy review that will only be completed ahead of the prime minister’s visit to Washington early next month.
Today Mr Mitchell will hold talks with Palestinian leaders. Ahead of the meetings Palestinian sources said Mr Abbas would press the US envoy for a clear Israeli commitment to a two-state solution before peace talks can resume.
Israeli president Shimon Peres played down differences between Washington and Jerusalem, saying that this was a decisive year for the region.
As Mr Mitchell met Mr Netanyahu Israeli aircraft bombed a deserted building in Gaza close to the Israeli border.
Israeli military sources said the structure was booby-trapped and the strike followed the firing of a rocket from Gaza into Israel on Wednesday.