From: AICE To: [email protected] Subject: AICE Update: Is Abbas Finally Prepared to Negotiate with Israel? Date: Thu, 28 May 2015 15:20:20 +0000 The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise 0u4 20tiv 6bea4 E-Newsletter Jewish Virtual F., RIP prqR IN THIS ISSUE Myths 8. Facts: Exclusive Mitchell Bard in the Jerusalem Post Mitchell Bard Interviewed on Radio Sputnik Fact of the Week bby is Israel Pear,. and Democracy Month p THIS WEEK IN JEWISH HISTORY Jews of Mainz Massacred during the First Crusade (1096) President Jefferson Pens Letter Regarding Religious Freedom in the U.S (1818) Israel Executes Nazi Criminal Adolf Eichmann (1962) See More Jewish History Events May 28, 2015 Myths & Facts: Online Exclusive Is Abbas Finally Prepared to Negotiate with Israel? One of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's first acts as prime minister was to say that he is interested in negotiations with the Palestinians and specifically wants to define the boundaries of the main settlement blocs where construction would be allowed. Remember that as far back as the 2000 Barak-Arafat negotiations, the Palestinians had expressed a willingness to allow Israel to annex the large settlement blocs as part of a land swap. :2Vlyths & Facts: 2012 It took little time for the Palestinians to respond, as they have to every Israeli call for negotiations, with a resounding rejection. Of course this was no surprise given that this has been their answer to all calls for talks since Mahmoud Abbas met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in 2008. Even former U.S. envoy Martin Indyk who has been a frequent critic of Netanyahu, acknowledged that Abbas has no interest in negotiations. Indyk said that Abbas understandably feels a lack of legitimacy since he has refused to hold an election for the last 10 years and fears making the compromises needed to reach an agreement, "so he is paralyzed by that." Click Here to Continue Reading Mitchell Bard in th