Obama proposes Mideast peace plan seeking solution in two years

Obama raised the proposed plan with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the premier's visit to Washington last month, Haaretz daily quoted a source in Cairo as telling the London-based A-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper.   Â

 

According to the report, the plan envisions a Middle East peace deal by 2011 and would encompass an agreement for a Palestinian state.

 

Netanyahu is expected to respond to the proposal within six weeks, a deadline set after Obama's address in Cairo, the report added.

 

The Egyptian source told A-Sharq al-Awsat that Obama elaborated on the plan during his visit to Egypt last week in talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Omer Suleiman and Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The Egyptian officials were implored to respond as soon as possible, the report said.

 

Netanyahu is at odds with Obama over the president's demand to halt Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and has not endorsed the creation of a Palestinian state, a cornerstone of U.S. Middle East policy.

 

OBAMA-BIBI PHONE CALL

Obama spoke to Netanyahu by phone on Monday and used last week's Cairo address to the Muslim world to press Israel for a freeze on new settlements.

 

The White House said the president also "reiterated the principal elements of his Cairo speech, including his commitment to Israel's security."

 

Netanyahu is to make a major policy speech on Sunday in which a senior official said the Israeli leader would "articulate his vision on how to move forward in the peace process with the Palestinians and with the larger Arab world."

 

Obama told Netanyahu he looked forward to hearing his views on peace and security in the speech, the White House said.

 

US ENVOY IN MIDEAST

The phone talks came as U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell was due in Tel Aviv late Monday at the start of a new Middle East tour aimed at kick-starting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

 

Mitchell met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak early on Tuesday and is expected to hold talks in Jerusalem with Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres, and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman later in the day.

 

On Wednesday, Mitchell is due in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank for meetings with Palestinian officials, including president Mahmud Abbas.