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Last update - 15:22 25/06/2008
Top Saudi official: Ball in Israel's court if it wants peace with us
By Asaf Uni, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel 

Prince Tourki M. Saud al-Kabeer, Saudi Arabia's assistant deputy minister for political affairs, said Wednesday that "the ball is in Israel's court," when asked of the possibility of establish full diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Prince Tourki was speaking from Berlin, where he is attending a conference hosted by the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt. The conference is focused on examining issues related to anti-missile defense systems in Europe and the Middle East.

The prince added that the prospect of striking a separate peace deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia before arriving at such an agreement with other Arab states is out of the question.
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Tourki said that Saudi King Abdullah's 2002 Arab peace initiative "offered Israel concrete things," but that Jerusalem had failed to give a positive response. He slammed Israel's continued settlement activity in the West Bank, and said that peace was an impossibility so long as the separation fence harms the fabric of Palestinian life. "Good will has to come from the Israeli side," he said.

Commenting on the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, the prince urged both sides to abide by its terms rather than seek pretexts for a resumption of hostilitites.

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      1.   Not Responding to Saudi Initiative 15:02  |  Ray 25/06/08
      2.   saudia arabia wants to recognise our sovreignityy 15:10  |  harzion 25/06/08
      3.   WHATS the going kick back rate on this? Maybe ask the Brits 15:15  |  PETER SM 25/06/08
      4.   i can envisage the supercilious demeanour 15:15  |  harzion 25/06/08
      5.   The Saudis & Ball. 15:17  |  Akram Zekaria 25/06/08
      6.   Saudi Arabia peace with Israel. Laughable. 15:22  |  Chaim Gorenstein 25/06/08
      7.   Negotiation With Unstable People Can Only Have Unstable Results. 15:22  |  Joseph.E 25/06/08
      8.   if israeli truly wants peace... 15:33  |  bashar 25/06/08
      9.   Response to Ray (Post No. 1) 15:38  |  Johnny Weintraub 25/06/08
      10.   Saudi-Arabia has been tconquered from the... 15:43  |  Jacob 25/06/08
      11.   The Saudi shell game 15:48  |  Ramius 25/06/08
      12.   It`s BS if Arabs don`t explicitly accept Israel as Jewish state 15:53  |  Sam 25/06/08
      13.   Bashar: arabs won`t come to israel as tourists. 16:02  |  richard s 25/06/08
      14.   BASHAR Are you serious? Arabs do not even trust each other 16:12  |  PETER SM 25/06/08
      15.   Is there a war with Saudi Arabia? 16:24  |  Pierre Le Loup 25/06/08
      16.   Chief Sponsor of global Islamist-Jihadist Terrorisms 16:40  |  Brod 25/06/08
      17.   Anti-semitism in the Koran 16:53  |  Ken 25/06/08
      18.   Its the settlements. Enough reason..? 17:08  |  Stephen. 25/06/08
      19.   Islam prohibits peace with nonbelievers 17:12  |  17 25/06/08
      20.   #8 Israel is prospering, so why don`t the Arabs accept Israel! 17:14  |  McQueen 25/06/08
      21.   McQueen is being silly 17:31  |  Ibrahim 25/06/08
      22.   Saudi BS supported by Haaretz 17:35  |  anon 25/06/08
      23.   "prince" turki of saudi 17:41  |  harzion 25/06/08
      24.   #17 Ken 17:41  |  Jack 25/06/08
      25.   When the Saudis agree to recognize Israel`s right to exist, and 17:59  |  Nahum 25/06/08
      26.   Israel is NOT your colony, Prince 18:02  |  Realist 25/06/08
      27.   Sometimes I think WW1 should have went to other way. 18:24  |  ID 25/06/08
      28.   Zionists on this thread,this is not about Mecca or Jerusalem or a 18:31  |  lakshmi 25/06/08
      29.   A REAL DISGRACE IF 18:44  |  indrajaya 25/06/08
      30.   lakshmi why do you have 500000 indian soldiers 18:57  |  dimple kapadia 25/06/08
      31.   Useless Saudi Leaders 19:05  |  Joe Hulllitse 25/06/08
      32.   an arab rides up on a camel 19:06  |  joe Smith 25/06/08
      33.   RecognitionAFTER peace, not before 19:10  |  Said 25/06/08
      34.   The Key To Middle East Peace 19:25  |  Shimon Cleopas 25/06/08
      35.   IF these guys can behave, why not, BUT..... 19:29  |  Harvey (Chaim) 25/06/08
      36.   WHAT AN ARROGANT MAN!!! 19:35  |  Ian 25/06/08
      37.   The WORLD is SLAVE to Israel 19:37  |  Candida 25/06/08
      38.   #29 Indrajaya doesn`t want peace 19:37  |  Conroy 25/06/08
      39.   RAY from Cleveland 19:41  |  JOJO 25/06/08
      40.   SAUDI ARABIA, AN EXAMPLE 19:45  |  indrajaya 25/06/08
      41.   seize saudi petrol, oust tubby parasite `princes,` aid the poor. 19:48  |  frenz 25/06/08
      42.   said 33 19:50  |  alan 25/06/08
      43.   HE CAN GO TO HELL 20:02  |  indrajaya 25/06/08
      44.   Do you Recongnize your self people& the UN Resolution that create 20:10  |  Simon Mohammed 25/06/08
      45.   Indrayayay - indeed, you have to keep yourself united now 20:32  |  17 25/06/08
      46.   Peace Coming Pretty Soon 20:32  |  Yosemite 25/06/08
      47.   # 43 TO INDRAJAYA 20:38  |  indrajaya 25/06/08
      48.   #43 Indrajaya proves my point in #38, he hates peace 20:38  |  Conroy 25/06/08
      49.   I guess 20:51  |  Claymandu 25/06/08
      50.   A hollow statement by a pampered prince 20:54  |  Denise Thompson 25/06/08
      51.   Prince Turkey is as smart as one.... 20:55  |  David 25/06/08
      52.   # 43, CONROY 20:57  |  indrajaya 25/06/08
      53.   Your RH the Prince: goodwill willl come from Israel when 21:08  |  AliciaYasmeen 25/06/08
      54.   THE SAUDIS ARE CORRECT 21:18  |  tad chase 25/06/08
      55.   Saudi is the crux of many problems. 21:33  |  Jean Van Daem 25/06/08
      56.   The use of the word "settlement" doesn`t serve enough judgment. 22:10  |  Charlie 25/06/08
      57.   Tad, Israel does not want peace... 22:29  |  BBSNews 25/06/08
      58.   Saudi peace plan with a poison pill 22:35  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 25/06/08
      59.   I think the qassams say it all. 22:41  |  d.dor 25/06/08
      60.   No peace with Saudis until.... 22:45  |  utagawa 25/06/08
      61.   54 tad chase,correct! israel did not make a counter offer,and in 22:50  |  lakshmi 25/06/08
      62.   Closer ties 22:59  |  Sherlock Holmes 25/06/08
      63.   Saudi Arabia is a Bush puppet state engaged in terrorism 23:00  |  Baruch Gold 25/06/08
      64.   Ball in Israel`s Court- Saudi Arabia Says 23:19  |  Gracefulboomer 25/06/08
      65.   BALL IN ARAB ISLAM`S COURT REPENT FOR WARS SINCE 1948 ?? 00:01  |  Bill 26/06/08
      66.   What is it about? (Lakshmi 28): Man does not live by oil alone 00:02  |  Realist 26/06/08
      67.   Ma`ale Hahmisha is west of Jerualem... 00:17  |  Fortuna Benmayor 26/06/08
      68.   That`s True All The Balls In Israel 00:33  |  Yosemite 26/06/08
      69.   I dont care anymore 00:59  |  Raden 26/06/08
      70.   How is the ball b in Israel`s court when Saudis don`t want 2 play 01:09  |  Nate 26/06/08
      71.   Prince Tourki M. Saud al-Kabeer can take his offer and put it 01:09  |  THE WARRIOR 26/06/08
      72.