Arab League Land-Swap Offer Angers Palestinians
The decision by the Arab League’s Washington delegation to offer a land swap to Israel has raised the ire of Palestinians, who say the move was unauthorized, reports Dalia Hatuqa.
![U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani shake hands following their meeting with members of the Arab League in Washington U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (4th R) and Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani (4th L) shake hands after speaking to the media following their meeting with members of the Arab League at Blair House in Washington April 29, 2013. With them are (L-R) Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel A-Jubeir, Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al Khalifa, Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Araby, Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2013/05/RTXZ428.jpg/RTXZ428.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=jhDrfm-W)
Earlier this week, a media storm erupted in Israel and the US over an Arab League announcement that the Palestinians have agreed to the possibility of land swaps with Israel as opposed to a rigid conformation to the "Green Line” or pre-1967 borders.
While Israeli officials such as Tzipi Livni, chief negotiator with the Palestinians, called the step “very positive,” the news was met with anger in Palestinian circles. In a statement released to the media, Hamas expressed “deep concern about the … principle of land swaps with the occupation.”