Editing Israeli–Palestinian conflict (section)

=== Arab Peace Initiative (2002, 2007, 2017) ===
{{Main|Arab Peace Initiative}}
[[File:Secretary Kerry Meets With the Ministerial Delegation of the Arab Peace Initiative.jpg|thumb|200px|[[John Kerry|U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry]] meets with an Arab Peace Initiative delegation in Paris, 2013.]]

The Arab Peace Initiative ({{langx|ar|مبادرة السلام العربية}} ''Mubādirat as-Salām al-ʿArabīyyah''), also known as the Saudi Initiative, was first proposed by Crown Prince [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia]] at the 2002 [[2002 Arab League summit|Beirut summit]]. The initiative is a proposed solution to the Arab–Israeli conflict as a whole, and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in particular.<ref>{{cite news |title=Saudi Prince al-Faisal tells Haaretz: Desire for peace exists both in Gaza and Ramallah – Israel Conference on Peace TLV |url=http://www.haaretz.com/peace/1.685313 |newspaper=[[Haaretz]] |access-date=3 December 2015 |date=12 November 2015 |archive-date=3 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203061242/http://www.haaretz.com/peace/1.685313 |url-status=live}}</ref> The initiative was initially published on 28 March 2002, at the Beirut summit, and agreed upon again at the 2007 [[2007 Arab League summit|Riyadh summit]]. Unlike the Road Map for Peace, it spelled out "final solution" borders based on the UN borders established before the 1967 [[Six-Day War]]. It offered full normalization of relations with Israel, in exchange for the withdrawal of its forces from all the occupied territories, including the [[Golan Heights]], to recognize "an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital" in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as a "just solution" for the Palestinian refugees.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 March 2009 |title=The Saudi Arabia peace initiative |language=en |work=[[Ynet News]] |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3691148,00.html |access-date=5 March 2022 |archive-date=5 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305205555/https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3691148,00.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Palestinian Authority]] led by [[Yasser Arafat]] immediately embraced the initiative.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/28/opinion/support-for-the-saudi-initiative.html |title=Support for the Saudi Initiative |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=28 February 2002 |access-date=24 June 2016 |archive-date=11 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111012403/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/28/opinion/support-for-the-saudi-initiative.html |url-status=live}}</ref> His successor [[Mahmoud Abbas]] also supported the plan and officially asked U.S. President [[Barack Obama]] to adopt it as part of his Middle East policy.<ref name=Haaretz1>{{cite news |last=Stern |first=Yoav |date=22 November 2008 |url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1039866.html |title=Abbas calls on Obama to enact Arab peace plan as soon as he takes office |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225191831/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1039866.html |archive-date=25 December 2008 |work=[[Haaretz]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> [[Islamist]] political party [[Hamas]], [[2006 Palestinian legislative election|the elected government]] of the [[Gaza Strip]], was deeply divided,<ref name="al-zahar">{{cite news |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3257932,00.html |title=Hamas' al-Zahar: Arab peace initiative impractical |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720103429/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3257932,00.html |archive-date=20 July 2008 |work=[[Ynet News]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=1 June 2006}}</ref> with most factions rejecting the plan.<ref name="Time">{{Cite magazine |last=MacLeod |first=Scott |date=17 January 2009 |title=Time to Test the Arab Peace Offer |url=http://mideast.blogs.time.com/2009/01/08/time-to-test-the-arab-peace-offer/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090117001303/http://mideast.blogs.time.com/2009/01/08/time-to-test-the-arab-peace-offer/ |archive-date=17 January 2009 |access-date=20 September 2024 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> Palestinians have criticised the [[Israel–United Arab Emirates normalization agreement]] and [[Bahrain–Israel normalization agreement|another with Bahrain]] signed in September 2020, fearing the moves weaken the Arab Peace Initiative, regarding the UAE's move as "a betrayal."<ref name=jpost061020>{{Cite news |url=https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/saudi-former-intel-chief-slams-palestinian-leaderships-criticism-of-uae-israel-deal-644678 |title=Saudi former intel chief slams Palestinian's criticism of UAE-Israel deal |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |date=6 October 2020 |access-date=8 May 2023 |archive-date=6 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006021450/https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/saudi-former-intel-chief-slams-palestinian-leaderships-criticism-of-uae-israel-deal-644678 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Israeli government under [[Ariel Sharon]] rejected the initiative as a "non-starter"<ref name=bbc>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1898736.stm |title=Arabs offer Israel peace plan |work=[[BBC News]] |date=28 March 2002 |access-date=17 April 2013 |archive-date=14 December 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061214080717/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1898736.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> because it required Israel to withdraw to pre-June 1967 borders.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Sharon warns Saudi plan may be Arab plot |url=http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2002/03/04/News/News.44486.html |date=4 March 2002 |first=Gil |last=Hoffman |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040203094239/http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2002/03/04/News/News.44486.html |archive-date=3 February 2004 |access-date=1 October 2011}}</ref> After the renewed Arab League endorsement in 2007, then-Prime Minister [[Ehud Olmert]] gave a cautious welcome to the plan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/30/israel2|title=Olmert gives cautious welcome to Arab peace plan|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=30 March 2007|access-date=8 May 2023|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220143413/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/30/israel2|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, Israeli Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] expressed tentative support for the Initiative,<ref name="Times of Israel">{{cite news |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-endorses-general-idea-behind-arab-peace-initiative/ |title=Netanyahu backs 'general idea' behind Arab Peace Initiative |work=[[Times of Israel]] |date=28 May 2015 |access-date=30 May 2015 |archive-date=30 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530202808/http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-endorses-general-idea-behind-arab-peace-initiative/ |url-status=live}}</ref> but in 2018, he rejected it as a basis for future negotiations with the Palestinians.<ref name = "haaretz2018apr10">{{Cite news |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2016-06-13/ty-article/pm-netanyahu-israel-cannot-agree-to-2002-arab-league-peace-plan/0000017f-dbbd-d856-a37f-fffd5b200000 |title=Netanyahu: Israel Will Never Accept Arab Peace Initiative as Basis for Talks With Palestinians |newspaper=[[Haaretz]] |access-date=8 May 2023 |archive-date=1 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201134801/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2016-06-13/ty-article/pm-netanyahu-israel-cannot-agree-to-2002-arab-league-peace-plan/0000017f-dbbd-d856-a37f-fffd5b200000 |url-status=live}}</ref>