The olive branch put forward by the Arab nations in 2004, offering to negotiate an Israeli-Palestinian peace that both sides could agree upon, will soon fail if Israel continues to ignore it, said Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on Wednesday. Since George Bush, the current US president, held a one-day 'peace summit' in October, the Arab nations have been pressing Israel to use the occasion to finally respond to the united Arab call for peace.
Unfortunately, according to al-Faisal, Israel has failed to respond, and this may lead the Arab nations to re-think their position.
"We hope that Israel responds positively to our quest and efforts, to avoid desperation that would force us to review our options," said al-Faisal Wednesday in a speech he gave in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at a meeting of Latin American and Arab leaders.
He added that the October 'summit' had led to renewed hope that Israel would begin to ease up on the daily attacks against Palestinians in the interest of peace.
But, he said, ongoing construction of illegal Israeli settlements on seized Palestinian land has called into question Israel's intentions. "It is not logical to always blame the weak side of the equation. The Palestinian people are suffering, and we can't ignore Israel's continual expansion of settlements”, added al-Faisal in the Wednesday speech.
