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Last update - 10:31 23/05/2009
White House: Obama won't unveil Mideast peace plan in Cairo
By Haaretz Service
Tags: palestinians, obama 

The White House announced on Friday that U.S. President Barack Obama will not be presenting an American initiative for peace in the Middle East during his speech in Cairo on June 4, Israel Radio reported.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that Obama's speech would address Washington's relationship with Muslims worldwide.

"This will be a broader speech about our relationship with Muslims around the world," said Gibbs at the daily press briefing. "I know there has been some conjecture that included in this speech will be some detailed comprehensive Mideast peace plan, and that is not the intention nor was it ever the intention of this speech."
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Gibbs noted that Obama could not address the Muslim world without referring to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but added that the speech would not focus on it.

The White House announcement comes as no surprise to the Netanyahu government. Israel has long known that President Barack Obama would not present his Middle East peace plan during his upcoming visit to Cairo, a senior Jerusalem official told Israel Radio on Saturday.

The official said that the U.S. has yet to formulate a cogent diplomatic initiative, and that the administration will not do so until the president completes his first round of meetings with all of the region's leaders, according to Israel Radio.

When asked about Obama's stance on Jerusalem, Gibbs said, "Those are final status issues that the parties themselves have agreed to work out in whatever negotiation would be had. That's not something for the President to intone."

Following Obama's meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, various media reports had speculated that Obama would unveil a new U.S. initiative for achieving peace in the Middle East as part of his upcoming speech meant to improve relations with the Muslim world.

American officials earlier this week had said that the U.S. expects Israel to make concrete concessions to the Palestinians before Obama's visit to Cairo.

Israeli security forces on Thursday morning evacuated the West Bank settlement outpost of Maoz Esther, in an apparent nod to diplomatic pressure exerted by the Obama administration.

Security forces hauled away seven metal containers converted to cabins during the evacuation. Several youths were at the camp but there was no violence, said police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld.

Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have both said that achieving peace in the Middle East would be a top priority for their administration. Both have stressed that they are committed to a two-state solution, with viable and secure Israeli and Palestinian states living side by side.

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      1.   GIVE PEACE A CHANCE 23:49  |  AGorgal 22/05/09
      2.   Commitment of any kind. Per 2 states 00:15  |  Sarah 23/05/09
      3.   Muslims will see it as Americam capitulation 00:52  |  17 23/05/09
      4.   why is President Obama responsible for a plan? 00:53  |  Witness 23/05/09
      5.   obama disappoints his fans 01:17  |  princessdiana 23/05/09
      6.   Pals, Israel Conflict 01:27  |  Confused 23/05/09
      7.   muslim obama 01:34  |  vik 23/05/09
      8.   The Arabs are insatiable 01:58  |  Charles Morgan 23/05/09
      9.   There is no sub about*Arab peace initiative* 02:20  |  Zaina Kayed Shehab 23/05/09
      10.   The Obama Method 02:32  |  Mark Lincoln 23/05/09
      11.   obama must avoid terror, riots and human rights 02:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/05/09
      12.   Mark Lincoln #10--just curious 02:55  |  A Nice Fellow 23/05/09
      13.   Of course not. He doesn`t have a plan. It`s all a big show 02:57  |  peacelover 23/05/09
      14.   So What`s Obama Going To Cairo For If... 03:02  |  Jeff Northridge 23/05/09
      15.   #10 Mark Lincoln, you have seen the light 03:16  |  Mark B. 23/05/09
      16.   Masada Will Never Fall Again 03:51  |  crlman 23/05/09
      17.   #9 Zaina Kayed Shehab is dreaming. 04:11  |  maoriboy 23/05/09
      18.   #12 nice fellow re; mark lincoln 04:22  |  leoblue 23/05/09
      19.   A Nice fellow # 12 i am curious also 04:38  |  American in NY 23/05/09
      20.   Here`s the difference Cippy... 04:58  |  BBSNews 23/05/09
      21.   Mark B. What theories? 05:22  |  Mark Lincoln 23/05/09
      22.   SHOW THAT TO OUR PRESIDENT 05:29  |  indrajaya 23/05/09
      23.   TO: CIPORA # 11 05:50  |  Ed 23/05/09
      24.   I agree Zaina Kayed Shehab... there is no substitute... 06:04  |  BBSNews 23/05/09
      25.   He will unveil neo-Chamberlainian crap. 06:18  |  Fortuna Benmayor 23/05/09
      26.   Lucid, Cipora # 11, exactly. 06:22  |  Fortuna Benmayor 23/05/09
      27.   CJK #11 06:24  |  Jasper 23/05/09
      28.   Obama needs to spell it out 08:35  |  Abu Firas Al Qudsi 23/05/09
      29.   "Unvell" what ! 09:56  |  Akram Zekaria 23/05/09
      30.   Dear Cipora 11 10:09  |  Akram Zekaria 23/05/09
      31.   The world turned Arabs & mad about taking ! 10:21  |  Akram Zekaria 23/05/09
      32.   Obama got elected for his clean cut good looks, good looking fami 11:08  |  Susanna/Shoshana 23/05/09
      33.   BAMA EGYPT TRIP..JUNE 4,2009 COORDINATES WITH JUNE 4, 1967 ...... 11:09  |  Max 23/05/09
      34.   Kia Ora Maori boy - justice equally important in peace 11:14  |  janine 23/05/09
      35.   my last post regarding my synogogue is meant metaphoracly,I don`t 11:17  |  Susanna/Shoshana 23/05/09
      36.   Very funny Cipora 11:47  |  Peter Williams 23/05/09
      37.   To ME Peace with Love 11:49  |  Shimon Cleopas 23/05/09
      38.   Obama`s Peace Intiative 12:05  |  maoriboy 23/05/09
      39.   I`m afraid to say anything nice about Obama,every time he sucks m 12:08  |  Susanna/Shoshana 23/05/09
      40.   think twice 13:17  |  oz 23/05/09
      41.   visit 14:06  |  oz 23/05/09
      42.   HERE`S THE DIFFERENCE, BBS 14:42  |  Brant 23/05/09
      43.   Why pretend? 15:38  |  Restrepo 23/05/09
      44.   #15 Mark B...OR maybe Obama 16:34  |  Lynn 23/05/09
      45.   Cipora (#11). You are, as usual, 100% correct. 17:29  |  flyingdoc57 23/05/09
      46.   What Plan? - restrepo 17:33  |  Mark Lincoln 23/05/09
      47.   CJK 18:06  |  Deacon2 23/05/09
      48.   Mr.Obama and the Cairo speech. 22:36  |  Stephen. 23/05/09
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