Khamenei: Muslims Have ‘Upper Hand’ in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today told a group of organizers of the upcoming Hajj that the “defeat” of Israel in the 50-day Gaza war was a manifestation of Muslim power.

“The defeat of the Zionist regime (Israel) in the 50-day war was the defeat of the symbol of Western power in the region at the hands of Gazan people,” Khamenei said. “The Gaza victory proved that Muslims are strong and have many capabilities, can defend themselves and challenge all enemies.” (Fars News Agency, 7 September)

“In the Palestinian issue, the Muslim fortunately have the upper hand,” Khamenei said, without any further explanations.

Photo credit: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (FNA)

Khamenei Against U.S. Mediation in Mideast

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today that the United States is not a good mediator in Mideast peace talks because of its ties with Israel. Khamenei made the comments ahead of the second round of U.S.-brokered Israeli-Palestinian peace talks next week. The talks resumed after a five-year freeze.

The Islamic Republic has traditionally been against the principle of the two-state solution, the eventual goal of the Palestinian-Israeli talks. Ideologically, it prefers a single Palestinian state encompassing Muslims and the Jews. Pragmatically, it has said it would accept whatever solution the Palestinians agree with.

“The U.S. is not a real mediator, it stands by the Zionists,” said Khamenei. “Definitely, it is against the interests of the Palestinians.” (IRNA/AP, 9 August)

Khamenei added that the current U.S.-sponsored talks will damage the Palestinians and force them to “abandon their rights and encourage the occupier.” He did not offer any alternative to the current peace talks.

The Palestinians seek to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967.
File photo: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (AP)

Israelis and Palestinians Re-Start Peace Talks

Negotiating Final Status Agreement for Two States 

Secretary of State John Kerry said today that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators would convene again in the Middle East within two weeks and that their goal would be to work out a comprehensive peace agreement within nine months. (The New York Times, 30 July)

Kerry described the talks in Washington on Monday and Tuesday as constructive, and said they had involved three-way discussions that included the United States, as well as direct discussions between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

“The parties have agreed to remain engaged in sustained, continuous and substantive negotiations on the core issues,” said Kerry, who was flanked by Tzipi Livni, Israel’s justice minister, and Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator.

“Our objective will be to achieve a final status agreement over the course of the next nine months,” Mr. Kerry said. “We all understand the goal we are working towards: two states living side by side in peace and security.” (The New York Times, 30 July)

Earlier in the day, Mr. Kerry and the Israeli and Palestinian negotiators went to the White House to meet with President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

Photo credit: John Kerry with chief negotiators Tzipi Livni of Israel (R) and Saeb Erekat of Palestine. Washington, 30 July 2013. (Reuters)

Iran Opposes U.S.-Sponsored Israel-Palestine Peace Talks

Iran on Sunday voiced opposition to a US-mediated resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

“Tehran along with Palestinian groups expresses its opposition to the proposed plan and it's certain that the occupying Zionist regime will utterly not agree to withdraw from the occupied lands,” said foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi.

“Past experience shows that the occupying Zionist regime is basically not ready to pay the price for peace since war mongering and occupation lie at its very core,” Araqchi added. (IRNA/AFP, 21 July)

US Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Friday that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators had agreed to meet to prepare a resumption of direct peace talks.

File photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) shakes hands with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas during talks in Sharm El-Sheikh, on September 14, 2010. (AFP)

Kerry Announces Agreement to Resume Palestinian-Israeli Talks

Israel and the Palestinians have tentatively agreed to resume peace talks, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said late Friday. The Washington Post, reporting Kerry’s announcement, said the news offers “a sliver of hope that a bitter, violent conflict that has consumed the region for more than a generation could be settled at the negotiating table.” (The Washington Post, 20 July)

“On behalf of President Obama, I am pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement that establishes the basis for resuming direct final-status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis,” Kerry told reporters in Amman.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will soon meet in Washington to work out final details of re-launching peace negotiations. The diplomats expected to meet face to face in Washington are chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who will be accompanied by Netanyahu’s close aide Isaac Molho.

“If everything goes as expected,” the diplomats should meet within a week “or very soon thereafter,” Kerry said.

“These were months of skepticism and cynicism,” Livni wrote on her Facebook page Friday night. “But now, four years of political stalemate are completed. I know this is an opportunity, but I also know that the moment negotiations begin it will be complex and not easy. However, I am firmly convinced that it is the right thing for our future, our security, economy and the values of Israel.”

Kerry said nothing about when Netanyahu and Abbas would meet, but he praised both leaders. “Both of them have chosen to make difficult choices here,” Kerry said, without elaboration.

Photo credit: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman, Jordan. 17 July 2013 (PPo/GETTY IMAGES /Washington Post)

Not a Lost Cause - A Perspective on Gaza Conflict

"It is now clear that the Iranian conventional threat is smaller than what people thought. The Israeli offensive may have occurred in Gaza – but in Tehran, they are breaking their heads at the moment on finding a solution to the new reality.”

Not a Lost Cause

An Israeli perspective by Eli Avidar (Ma’ariv)

Translated by Viktoria Lymar (IranEdge)

Republished with permission from IranEdge.com

Photo credit: Rafael/Ma’ariv/IranEdge