Conference II: Arab players come together in Doha. Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon and Qatar meet to prepare a joint Arab strategy to resolve the conflict and prepare a list of Arab demands and concessions.
Please list who all participated in the conference and a brief summary of what was discussed and concluded at the event.
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Greetings my fellow heads of state, I pray that this this find each with God's peace upon you,
Due to unforeseeable events, the Saudi Royal Guard was regrettably compelled to detain my flight out of Riyadh for safety measures. By the Grace of God, our summit host and my impromptu proxy, the Emir of Qatar, was not likewise prevented from attending and has reported back to me on the success of our conference.
In accordance with our prevailing covenant, the Arab Peace Initiative sanctioned in 2002 was reaffirmed at our most recent assembly. We graciously solicit Israel to reconsider its policies and proclaim a peaceful solution as the only acceptable option. In return, the collective Arab community is courteously willing to offer concessions in turn.
With the intent to refresh the public's memory, I have included the text of our great compact. As our faction has been more than obliging for the sake of a compromise and the prompt achievement of a peaceful solution, the following terms are non-negotiable.
Again, my most sincere apologies for my absence. God willing, I will repair the lost time during our next assembly. Until then, shall we all endeavor to fulfill such promises to the future security of an independent State for our Palestinian brothers, and pray for improved relations with Israel.
my sincerest gratitude for our conference's success,
King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
October, 2008
THE ARAB PEACE INITIATIVE OF 2002
1. We call upon Israel to affirm:
I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.
II- The achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem, to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.
III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
2. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:
I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.
II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.
3. Assures the rejection of all forms of Palestinian patriation which conflict with the special circumstances of the Arab host countries.
4. Calls upon the government of Israel and all Israelis to accept this initiative in order to safeguard the prospects for peace and stop the further shedding of blood, enabling the Arab countries and Israel to live in peace and good neighbourliness and provide future generations with security, stability and prosperity.
5. Invites the international community and all countries and organizations to support this initiative.
6. Requests the chairman of the summit to form a special committee composed of some of its concerned member states and the secretary general of the League of Arab States to pursue the necessary contacts to gain support for this initiative at all levels, particularly from the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, the Muslim states and the European Union.
Bismillah ar-Raman ar-Rahim,
Force and isolation bring false peace. The only acceptable solution that we will consider is one that brings true independence and true security. It is now time to create a new basis for the future, and we will continue to advocate for the following:
1. The establishment of an independent Palestine, on Palestinian land, with Jerusalem as its capitol.
2. The immediate halting of construction of all walls/barriers that infringe past the 1967 lines. These walls violate international law, and threaten the creation of a Palestinian state. Also they threaten Jordan’s national security and therefore must be dismantled.
3. Pullout from the Gaza Strip and the permanent dismantling of Israeli settlements. We view all settlements within Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem as illegal.
4. Reunification and repatriation of Palestinians to Palestinian soil, as well as compensation to countries for costs incurred while hosting Palestinian refugees.
5. The importance of a mutually-agreed upon set end-point regarding negotiations.
6. The implementation of timelines, and the installment of accountability measures to the peace process for the purposes of monitoring and assessment.
7. We recognize the Palestinian Authority as the legitimate representative in negotiations. Furthermore we renounce the targeted killing of Israeli civilians and the use of security as a pretext for abuse. This violence is cyclical, and the only viable option is to resume the peace process.
8. We support the proposals found within the Roadmap and the Arab Peace Initiative. These proposals should be the framework for Middle East peace and all parties must respect their commitments to them.
9. It is in the interests of our region as a whole to negotiate a just, permanent solution to the Palestinian-Israeli question. This conflict is at the foundation of all regional conflicts and must be reconciled if we are to see a strong, prosperous and united Middle East.
The time for an independent Palestine, one that is allowed to grow and develop, is past due. Let us not waste time, time that could be spent to incubate a possible thriving Palestine.
His Majesty King Abdullah II
Greetings my fellow Arab leaders, I hope at this time we can begin negotiations on achieving peace in the Middle East.
It is with great pleasure that we celebrate the election of Barack Obama, for now potential exists in bettering relations between Syria and the U.S. It has been for almost eight years now that I have tried to create a balanced relationship with the U.S., however under the current administration, discussions were simply not possible thus tension was created.
It is with my most courageous hopes that we can repossess the Golan Heights back from Israel, a Syrian territory that they unjustly stole from in 1967. I support fully the Saudi Plan, to achieve peace in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, however, I will not support any negotiations or agreements that go against my relationship with my fellow Palestinians. Moreover, I am in full agreement and push for the Saudi Plan to be fulfilled, I want to reverse our current relationship with the U.S., and I would like to see the war in Iraq end.
More on the war in Iraq, I am without a doubt in favor of the U.S. pulling troops from Iraq. I believe that American troops present in Iraq is without a doubt a threat to Syria, regardless of its outcome. I ask you, fellow leaders, what are the consequences of destabilizing the Middle East, on the rest of the world? The U.S., and the global arena in general, needs to realize that occupation and destabilization is not the answer, that the Middle East as a unit plays a very critical role in the world, especially Syria's role in the Middle East.
In regards to Hezbollah, I see Nasrallah as a great leader and model to be followed. Hamas however, I would like to see join the Saudi Plan in order to decrease international pressure placed on the Palestinian government. On the other hand, I believe that Hamas leaders OUTSIDE of the Palestinian territories can carry on with their duties. Overall, I would like to see a separation between Hamas and the Palestinian government, a separation between State & Ideology.
Concluding, I would like to express my current stance of pursuing peace. I would like to see peace in Israel while seeing the Palestinians get the percentage of land that is rightfully theirs, I would like to see the Golan Heights back in my hands, a territory that is again, rightfully OURS!, and lastly, I would like to see U.S./Syrian relations improve, for I think if the U.S. can realize their flaws, and the differences between our world and theirs, that we can achieve a smoother peace process. In the meantime, I look forward to talking with you again.
Bashar al Assad
Damascus, Syria
2008 October
It is with a great honor that these talks were held in Doha the capital of Qatar my homeland. We are very honored that what has been such a important topic to Qatar could be discussed in this kind of peaceful setting in our capital.
I thought the meeting went very well though not many big decisions were made it is important to understand that a solution will be found in small steps not leaps and bounds. First and foremost we do recognize Palestinians authority as a nation state and the authority of which it holds. We agree that a peaceful solution must be our main goal, the key here is peaceful we do not condone anty violence toward the civilians of Israel.
We would like a time line as to when certain steps should happen, we believe this would be a step in the right direction and keep everyone on the same page, this would also help to create a means to an end in this conflict which has lasted so long. We realize it is in our interest not just the Israelis and Palestinians that this conflict come to a end and a peaceful one at that. It is with this that we as a group call for a stop to the building of the wall a stop to new settlements and pulling out of the Gaza strip as a beginning to this solution. We hope this can be a beginning of a solution for which we as a group and Qatar as a country has been advocating for some time.
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