From Jerusalem Online:
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Meets Obama At White House
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met with US President Barack Obama at the White House as part of the Obama Administration's continued efforts to implement a framework solution.
Mar 17, 2014
[...]
During the conversation Mahmoud Abbas made his position clear that Israel should release all prisoners as it agreed, in the fourth round of the releasing of prisoners at the end of this month. According to various reports, the Palestinian Authority is also demanding the release of Arab-Israeli prisoners, which is expected to cause an even bigger uproar in the government.
Palestinian Authority President Abbas also referred to the Israeli demand very often expressed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, that the Palestinian Authority recognize Israel as a Jewish state. "We recognized the legitimacy of Israel in the past within the framework of existing agreements," Abbas argued.
"We still think there's a real opportunity," Obama said at the joint press conference with Mahmoud Abbas in the Oval Office. ...
More here.(With the usual MIC video )
Meanwhile, just the day before, from Israel National News:
Abbas to Tell Obama ‘No’ on Recognition
PA Chairman still refuses to recognize Israel as Jewish state, repeats demand for Arab ‘return.’By Maayana Miskin3/17/2014
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will meet Monday with United States President Barack Obama. Analysts expect the meeting will be a tense one.
According to previous reports, Abbas plans to agree to extend negotiations with Israel, but only if Israel frees terrorist leaders and agrees to freeze construction in Judea and Samaria (Shomron) – essentially recognizing the PA claim of ownership over land east of the 1949 armistice line.
Now new reports in the PA media have revealed that Abbas also plans to refuse to recognize Israel as the national home of the Jewish people.
Abbas has repeatedly refused to recognize Israel. His reason: he believes millions of descendants of Arabs who fled pre-state Israel must be given the right to “return” to Israel, which could make it a majority-Arab state.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has insisted that recognition is a crucial part of the peace process. Recognition of Israel as a Jewish state would be a sign that the PA intends to end the conflict with Israel, rather than simply restarting it as a battle over “refugees.”...
Yes, there is more, here.
In my always humble opinion(!) this is indeed a 'real opportunity' as MIC calls it, but not exactly the opportunity he is talking about.
Related: Obama: Abbas has “consistently renounced violence" (No, I am not making that up!!!)
Israel's Defence Minister: There'll be no peace agreement in my lifetime
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