SAUDIS REBUFF OLMERT'S PEACE TALK INVITE

Olmert Invites Arab Leaders to Hold Peace Talks - Isabel Kershner (NYT)
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel [last] Sunday invited Arab leaders to join him for talks in a regional peace meeting in Jerusalem. The invitation, made at a news conference in Jerusalem with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, was described by Miri Eisin, Olmert's spokeswoman, as a "new initiative," "influenced" by the Arab leaders' talk of resolving the conflict with Israel through dialogue at an Arab summit meeting in Saudi Arabia last week. "I invite for a meeting all the heads of Arab states - including, of course, the king of Saudi Arabia, who I see as a very important leader - to hold talks with us," Olmert said.

THE SAUDIS WANT ISRAEL TO SURRENDER BEFORE TALKS START:

Saudis Say Israel Must Withdraw First - Abdullah Shihri and Donna Abu-Nasr
Saudi Arabia signaled Monday it is unlikely to accept an Israeli invitation to a regional peace conference, saying that Israel must first move to withdraw from Arab lands. A statement by the Saudi Cabinet did not refer directly to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's public invitation to Saudi King Abdullah and other moderate Arab leaders to meet with him and discuss their ideas for peace. (AP/Washington Post)

MEANWHILE, THE PEACE PROCESS DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THE PALESTINIANS EITHER:

Peace Process No Priority for Palestinians (Angus Reid Global Monitor-Canada)
According to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, 43% of Palestinians believe the new PA administration should focus on the enforcement of law and order. 26% think the government should work on restoring relations with international donors, 17% call for political reform and the eradication of corruption, and only 13% believe their leaders should work on political negotiations involving a peace process.

THE PALESTINIANS SEEMS TO AGREE WITH ME THAT THEY NEED TO GET THEIR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER BEFORE NEGOTIATING WITH ISRAEL. AFTER ALL, WHOM DOES ISRAEL HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH NOW?