One day after Tisha B’Av, the Jewish day of communal mourning, some cause for communal hope. From today’s AP:
The foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan began a historic visit to Israel on Wednesday to formally present an Arab peace plan, saying they were extending “a hand of peace” on behalf of the region.
The ministers arrived as representatives of the Arab League, the first time the 22-member group has sent a delegation to Israel. The Arab League peace plan envisions full recognition of Israel in return for evacuation of lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
“We are extending a hand of peace on behalf of the whole region to you, and we hope that we will be able to create the momentum needed to resume fruitful and productive negotiations” between Israel and the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world, Jordan’s foreign minister, Abdul-Ilah Khatib, said at a news conference with Israeli President Shimon Peres.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the two delegates had been asked by the league “to come and offer Israel the Arab peace initiative.” He urged Israel to consider the plan seriously.
“We hope that upon our return, we would also convey to the Arab League … the responses of Israel and I hope that such responses will be positive,” he said.
(For my previous two posts on this issue, click here.)
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