05/09/2015

UNchiefseekstobreathefreshlifeintopeacetalks|TheTimesofIsrael

THE TIMES OF ISRAEL | www.timesofisrael.com

UNchiefseekstobreathefresh
lifeintopeacetalks
BantohostkeyglobalplayerstryingtoendIsraeliPalestinianconflict
onsidelinesofUNGeneralAssemblythismonth
BYEDITHM.LEDERER

September4,2015,11:44pm

NITEDNATIONS(AP)UNSecretaryGeneralBanKimoonwillhostaministerial
meetingofkeyglobalplayerstryingtoendthedecadesoldIsraeliPalestinianconflict
onSept.30duringtheannualhighlevelsessionoftheGeneralAssembly,theUnited
NationsannouncedFriday.
SpokesmanStephaneDujarricsaidthatinadditiontoforeignministersfromtheQuartetofMideast
mediatorstheUnitedStates,UnitedNations,EuropeanUnionandRussiathesecretary
generalisinvitingtheArabLeaguesecretarygeneralandtheforeignministersofEgypt,Jordan
andSaudiArabiatojointhemeeting.
NegotiationsbetweenIsraelandthePalestinianshavebeenstalledsincetheUnitedStatesfailed
tobrokerapeaceagreementinearly2014.TheQuartetwassidelinedbytheUSledefforts,but
theirfailureopenedthepossibilityofabroaderinternationalefforttotackletheconflict.
PrimeMinisterBenjaminNetanyahuandPalestinianAuthorityPresidentMahmoudAbbas,
however,havebeenunabletoagreeongroundrulesfornegotiations.NetanyahusaidTuesdayhe
waswillingtomeetAbbasrightnowtoresumepeacenegotiationswithoutpreconditions.Chief
PalestiniannegotiatorSaebErekatdismissedhisremarksasaPRstunt,callingtheprime
ministerthekingofthesettlers,IsraelRadiosaid.
AbbasisscheduledtoaddresstheGeneralAssemblyonSept.30,thesamedayBanwillhostthe
ministerialmeeting.
PalestinianUNAmbassadorRiyadMansoursaidThursdayhehopesAbbaswillbeabletoraise
thePalestinianflagoutsideUNheadquartersforthefirsttimethatday.Hesaidthiscouldkeep
hopealiveamongPalestiniansatatimewhenthepoliticalprocessisdead.
The193memberGeneralAssemblyisscheduledtovoteSept.10onaresolution,opposedby
Israel,thatwouldallownonmemberobserverstatesPalestineandtheHolySeetoraise
theirflags.Mansoursaidheexpectsanoverwhelmingmajorityofstatestosupportit.
Copyright2015TheAssociatedPress.
TimesofIsraelstaffcontributedtothisreport

2015THETIMESOFISRAEL,ALLRIGHTSRESERVED

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