Livni: Israel will make dramatic decisions during peace talks

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians will result in dramatic Israeli decisions, Israel\’s chief negotiator predicted on Tuesday.

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni coupled her forecast with acknowledgement that at least one partner in Israel\’s right-wing coalition opposed the goal set by the United States, which is brokering the talks, to create a Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.

Livni, speaking on Israel Radio, said "there will be dramatic decisions" by Israel at the end, and negotiators had agreed not to disclose details about their deliberations in order to build trust.

"We are arguing, but we are arguing inside the room," she said.

Israeli and Palestinian sources said the negotiating teams planned to convene for a third round of talks, in Jerusalem, on Tuesday.

The negotiations were renewed last month, in Washington, after a three-year standoff over Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which Palestinians seek for a state along with the Gaza Strip.

A second round of talks was held at an undisclosed location in Jerusalem on August 14, despite Palestinian consternation over Israel\’s approval in the run-up to the meeting of plans for 3,100 new homes for settlers.

Israel has rejected criticism of its construction plans, saying the new homes would be erected in settlements within blocs it intends to keep in any future peace deal. Most countries view all settlements Israel has built on occupied land as illegal.

No details were given after last week\’s session on the subject matter, widely believed to have focused on setting an agenda for discussing core issues such as borders, security and the future of settlements, Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.

"It is no secret that there is at least one party (in the Israeli government) that sees negotiations as wrong, that opposes two states for two peoples," Livni said, referring to the pro-settler Jewish Home faction.

She called on the main opposition Labour Party to "lend its support now" to the government\’s efforts, suggesting such political backing could help achieve a land-for-peace deal.

In a one-line response to Livni\’s reference to his party\’s opposition to a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Jewish Home\’s leader, Naftali Bennett, wrote on his Facebook page: "Get over it."

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday reiterated his commitment to a state solution that would see the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 lines with Jerusalem as its capital.

Abbas’s comments came during a meeting in his office with representatives of the Front For Democracy and Equality (HADASH) party headed by MK Mohamed Barake.

Abba also accused Israel of placing “obstacles” on the way to the continuation of the peace talks by pursuing construction in settlements “in a provocative manner.”

He said that Israel’s actions were in violation of “sincere intentions to achieve peace and end occupation.”

Barake quoted Abbas as saying that progress had been achieved during the previous rounds of talks between Israel and the PA.

He also quoted Abbas as saying that solutions could be reached regarding the core issues.