Israeli PM, Jordanian King Discuss Peace Process
VOA News
27 July 2010
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made an unannounced visit to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah and discuss peace talks with the Palestinians.
A statement from the Royal Palace in Amman said the two leaders met Tuesday to discuss ways to begin direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Mr. Netanyahu's office said the meeting lasted two hours and focused on the need for effective negotiations on so-called "final status" issues to create a Palestinian state.
The United States has been mediating indirect talks between the two sides. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to enter direct negotiations unless Israel puts an end to settlement construction in occupied territory.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron is calling on Turkey to use its friendship with Israel to promote understanding in the region.
Mr. Cameron told business leaders in Ankara Tuesday that Turkey's relationship with Israel and the Arab world is of "incalculable value."
Turkey's relationship with Israel has been strained since Israeli forces raided a Turkish aid flotilla heading for Hamas-controlled Gaza in May, killing nine pro-Palestinian activists. Turkey's leaders have called on Israel to apologize, pay compensation to the victims and lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The British leader also called on Israel to lift the blockade, saying conditions in the territory are those of a "prison camp."
Israel says the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas militants and other extremists from getting weapons and other supplies for attacks against Israel. The Israeli embassy in London responded to Mr. Cameron's remarks Tuesday, calling the people of Gaza "prisoners of the terrorist organization Hamas."
Also Tuesday, Gaza's interior minister said Hamas is considering plans to create a larger military force.
Fathi Hamad said the force would initially include volunteers but could be expanded to include conscripts.
Hamad's spokesman later said officials were looking only at a plan to expand security forces with volunteers, denying Hamas planned to impose a draft.
Hamas' current force has about 18,000 troops.
Elsewhere, Israeli police in southern Israel demolished about 30 to 40 homes in what the Israeli government said was an illegal Bedouin village.
Israeli officials said police briefly confronted some of the Bedouins and Israeli rights activists. They said several people were detained and later released.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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