Israel proposed direct talks with moderate Arab regimes. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert proposed Sunday that Saudi Arabia should follow up on last week’s Arab League summit in Riyadh by hosting a round of direct negotiations between Israel and moderate Arab regimes.”If the Saudi king convenes a meeting of the heads of the moderate states, I would be happy to come and voice our thoughts,” Olmert told reporters.In response, a Saudi official said Monday that Israel should withdraw from Arab territory and allow the creation of a Palestinian state before Arabs recognize it.At the Riyadh summit, the Arab League re-endorsed a Saudi proposal for a comprehensive Israeli-Arab peace. Jerusalem has welcomed the initiative as a potential basis for rapprochement but described some of its clauses as problematic.
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