Dubbed the Arab Peace initiative based on Beirut declarations of 2002 and 2003, otherwise known as the Saudi initiative, the Palestinian Authority advertized full page ads in Israel's main Hebrew dailies Thursday calling on the Israeli public to support the move. A just peace is a strategic choice, the ad says and called on the Israeli public to approve the following steps. A full withdrawl from all areas occupied by Israel since 1967, including a withdrawl from the Syrian Golan Heights to the lines of June 4, 1967 and all the areas occupied by Israel in southern Lebanon.

To reach a just solution concerning the Palestinian refugees in according with the UN Resolution 194. An agreement to establish an independent sovereign Palestinian State on the land occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the West Bank and Gaza with east Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state.
If Israel agrees to these steps 57 Arab countries will agree to normalization and full diplomatic ties with Israel. It remains to be seen if Israel can accept such terms. One cannot ignore the current deadlock in talks with the Palestinians.

While US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice succeeded in jumpstarting the diplomatic dialogue between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and PA President Mahmmoud Abbas.  It is a long cry from the intended Road Map the Americans had hoped to pursue.11/20/08