US close to brokering Middle East deal, report

Aug 26, 2009, 9:48 GMT

London - The US are close to brokering a deal that would allow the resumption of the long-stalled Middle East peace talks before the end of next month, Britain's Guardian newspaper said Wednesday.

In a report from Washington, the paper said the key to bringing Israel on board was a promise by the US to 'adopt a much tougher line with Iran over its alleged nuclear weapons programme.'

The US, along with Britain and France, were planning to push the United Nations security council to expand sanctions to include Iran's oil and gas industry, a move that could 'cripple' its economy.

In return, the Israeli government will be expected to agree to a partial freeze on the construction of settlements in the Middle East.

'The message is: Iran is an existential threat to Israel; settlements are not,' an unnamed official is being quoted.

US President Barack Obama was planning to announce the breakthrough for either a meeting of world leaders at the UN general assembly in New York in the week beginning 23 September or the G20 summit in Pittsburgh on 24-25 September.

The report coincided with a meeting in London Wednesday between US Middle East envoy George Mitchell and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following talks between the Israeli leader and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Tuesday.

The Guardian said the private negotiations had reached such an advanced stage that France and Russia had had approached the US with offers to host a peace conference.

Israel, in return for a deal on settlements, was seeking not only a tougher line over Iran but normalization of relations with Arab states, such as overflight rights for its airline El Al, establishment of trade offices and embassies, and an end to the ban on travellers with Israeli stamps in their passports.

Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco had so far tentatively agreed, but Saudi Arabia had refused, saying Israel had already been granted enough concessions, according to the Guardian.

In London Wednesday, Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor said it was 'late, but not too late' to agree on tougher international action against Iran.

In a BBC interview, the ambassador advocated 'crippling sanctions' against the 'tyrannical regime' in Tehran.