JERUSALEM: Israeli chief negotiator and Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni says peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians can benefit the entire region

Record ID: 397862

  • Title: JERUSALEM: Israeli chief negotiator and Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni says peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians can benefit the entire region
  • Date: 16th August 2013
  • Summary: JERUSALEM (AUGUST 16, 2013) (REUTERS) **CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** U.N. GENERAL SECRETARY BAN KI-MOON MAKING HIS WAY TO MEETING ROOM AND GREETING ISRAELI CHIEF NEGOTIATOR AND JUSTICE MINISTER TZIPI LIVNI AND ENTERING HALL LIVNI AND BAN SHAKING HANDS VARIOUS OF LIVNI AND BAN IN MEETING BAN KI-MOON ENTERING HALL AND SHAKING HANDS WITH ISRAELI DEFENCE MINISTER MOSHE YAALON
  • Embargoed: 31st August 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jerusalem
  • City:
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA6NEBBOB4JB1QW0QG68MR9RQJ9
  • Story Text: Israel's top peace negotiator said on Friday (August 16) that newly resumed talks with the Palestinians provide a chance for Israel to seek a shift in alliances in the Middle East, and team up with Arab world moderates against militants.
    Justice Minister Tzipi Livni met with Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on Wednesday (August 14) in Jerusalem, in the first round of U.S.-brokered talks renewed last month after a three-year stand-off in a dispute over Jewish settlement construction.
    The sides have thus far provided little detail about the talks in hopes that keeping a lower profile may help them to reach a deal.
    Asked about the talks after a meeting with visiting United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday, Livni said the negotiations have provided "an opportunity here for Israel, for the Palestinians, and for the entire region."
    Livni saw an opening "not only to relaunch negotiations but also to change the allies and alliances in the region."

    "I believe there are parts in the Arab world, that for them relaunching the negotiations can be an opportunity to support this and to work together against the extremists," she added.
    Asked about the success of the talks Livni said she is unable to comment on content since she wants the talks to be successful.

    "There is one thing that is the most important thing in negations and this is trust and since we agreed that the negotiations will be discrete," Livni said.
    Ban said on Friday, after talks with Palestinians in the West Bank, he was 'deeply troubled by Israel's continuing settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,' referring to plans for some 1,200 new housing units in the settlements built on land Palestinians want for a state, that Israel published this week ahead of the latest negotiations.
    The U.N. leader also urged both sides to achieve "visible improvements on the ground," calling for Israel to further ease movement restrictions on Palestinians, including for those living in the Hamas Islamist ruled Gaza Strip.
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