Israeli foreign minister wants a comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians

Sunday June 01, 2008 18:45 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

Israeli foreign minister, Tsibi Livni, asserted on Sunday that there is a need to reach an overall agreement with the Palestinians , including all issues of peace talks between the two sides.

Israeli Foreign Minister, Tsibi Livni/ archive photo

Israeli media sources quoted Livni as saying that reaching a 'vague' deal with the Palestinians will constitute a 'fatal' mistake, pointing out that peace can not be divided and that any peace agreement should not be one more chapter of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict but should rather end such a conflict once and for all.

Livni's remarks came as the Israeli housing ministry announced new plans for settlements construction on occupied Palestinian lands, a move the Palestinian Authority considers 'preempting' the final status talks with Israel.

In a related note, Israeli 'Labor' minister, Itzhaq Hertsug, urged the Israeli government to exert every possible effort to conclude a truce deal with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Since last November, Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations have made no concrete progress, as the ruling Hamas party in Gaza has recently offered an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire, to which Israel is yet respond.

Meanwhile, Israeli minister, Zeiaf Boim, criticized today the Israeli prime minister's decision to suspend a cabinet session on potential truce deal with the Palestinians in Gaza, including the ruling Hamas party and several other resistance factions.

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