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Written by Haartez and News Agencies Haartez and News Agencies
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Category: News News
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Published: 15 May 2009 15 May 2009
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Last Updated: 15 May 2009 15 May 2009
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Created: 15 May 2009 15 May 2009
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Hits: 3545 3545
U.S. President Barack Obama is due to address the region in a speech in
Cairo next month and foreign ministers of the 57-nation Organisation of
the Islamic Conference are due to meet in Syria on May 23.
An Arab peace initiative, backed by leading U.S. allies such as Saudi
Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, offers Israel normal relations with the 22
countries of the Arab League in return for returning lands to Lebanon,
Syria and the Palestinians.
Israel has reacted coldly to the plan, citing concerns over the return of Palestinian refugees.
Among Arab states, only Egypt, Jordan and Mauritania have diplomatic
relations with Israel. Most Muslim countries avoid political, economic
ties and even diplomatic ties.
The Jordanian monarch, who met Obama in Washington last month, said Obama was committed to seeing a Palestinian state.
"I was encouraged by the president's commitment to the two-state
solution," he said. "I was encouraged that in all my conversations in
Washington, it was clear that people know - inaction is not an option."
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat later said he hopes Netanyahu will heed calls to endorse a two-state solution.
"I hope the king's words will not fall on deaf ears," Erekat said.
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