Saudis say new Israeli gov't policies are dangerous

by AFP

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday slammed the policies of Israel's new right-wing government as dangerous and an obstacle to Middle East peace efforts, and said only international pressure can change them.

"It is now clear that Israel, which has until now frustrated all peace efforts, whose new government has declared dangerous policies, cannot be expected to automatically change its stand," Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters.

"This requires a solid and firm international action, especially on the part of the United States, to prompt Israel to change its policies which contravene... international legality and the requirements of peace."
At a joint news conference with visiting British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, he said Arab states still backed the Saudi-crafted Arab Peace Initiative, and that it would remain on offer as long as Israel shows interest in reaching a peace deal.

The Arab plan offers Israel full recognition in return for the creation of a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders.

Prince Saud said "negative remarks" by the coalition government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hardline Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman were taking the peace process "back to square one."

"It is no exaggeration to say that the failure to put an end to this chronic struggle... has been behind dangerous phenomena that have swept many parts of the world such as terrorism, violence and extremism," he said.

He cited the Israeli government continuing to allow expansion of Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.

Miliband, in Riyadh for a British-Saudi "Two Kingdoms" dialogue, called on both Israel and the Palestinians to keep commitments made by their previous leaders in the peace process.

"It is very important that both sides adhere to the commitments of their predecessors, the Palestinians in respect to security improvement, for example, and the Israeli government in respect to the freeze on settlement activity," Miliband said.

"At this time the need for a peace plan has never been greater," he said.