This guy better have a good security detail:
Middle Eastern countries should set up a new regional organisation that includes all Arab states as well as Israel, Iran, and Turkey, the pro-western Gulf state of Bahrain has urged.
The highly unusual call — which is likely to provoke controversy — came from Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, the country’s foreign minister.
“Why don’t we all sit together even if we have differences and even if we don’t recognise each other?” he told the London-based daily newspaper al-Hayat. “Why not become one organisation?
“Aren’t we all members of a global organisation called the United Nations? Why not [come together] on a regional basis? This is the only way to solve our problems. There’s no other way to solve them, now or in 200 years.”
Asked if that should include Israel, he replied: “With Israel, Turkey, Iran and Arab countries. Let them all sit together in one group.”
What he says makes eminent good sense. That is precisely why it will never happen.
Suggesting a sit down with Israel?
Yeah, that’s the kind of thing that gets Arab League foreign ministers “sacked”.
Or assassinated.
Must disagree here. Nothing could be further from the truth. In 2002, and again in 2006, the Arab League, constituting over 20 Arab countries, offered Israel full acceptance and recognition among the Middle East nations in return for a true Israeli-Palestinian peace based on UN Resolution 242.
Israel declined the invitation, because afterall, it has always been for peace?????
In fact, in 2003, the Iranian PM, moderate and therefore a dangerous representative I would suppose, through the Swiss embassy, offered Israel the same deal. The result: nada, no thanks.
Does anyone have to explain why? Just look at land appropriations in the Palestinian territories since then and your question will be answered.
Israel today only provokes cynicism through its pure disingenuousness regarding peace. The problem with Israel of course is the “land for peace” notion. “No land for peace,” said Netanyahu, “peace for peace.”
George Orwell would undoubtedly be pleased with the evolution of the Israeli government temperment.
Accepting the Jews (who never did it because they lacked the manpower) historically they solved their individual problems by conquering the other groups. See:
Achaemenids
Parthians
Sassanids
Safavids
Seljuks
Ottomans
Ummayyads
Abassids
So that’s quite a history to overcome. Hope he can do it!
What a remarkably good idea. Yes, sit down, everybody and talk. Let’s see how determined everybody and anybody is for regional peace. Israel, Iran, Syria, the whole bunch. And, no preconditions either.