Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz forwarded his Middle East land-for-peace initiative to test Israel's readiness for peace, he said in remarks published today.
The proposal will offer Israel full peace with the Arab world in exchange for its withdrawal from the lands it occupied in the 1967 Middle East war, and will be presented to this week's summit of Arab leaders in Beirut.
"I will present the initiative (in Beirut). If it is accepted (by the Israelis), this will be what we wish because we don't want to fight and we are not bloodthirsty," Prince Abdullah told a symposium in Riyadh earlier this week.
"We want to live in peace and security, and if they (Israelis) don't accept (the peace offer), we will have exposed them," said Prince Abdullah.
"We will have shown the whole world that it is the Arabs and Muslims who want peace whereas some - I don't say all - Israelis don't want peace," added the kingdom's de facto ruler.
The Saudi crown prince said he launched his initiative in the columns of the New York Timeslast month as "a (trial) balloon" and found out that "everyone supported it, except (Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon."
"I was forced to (make the proposal), not because I am a hero ... I saw something revolting ... on the one hand, the Israelis with their planes and tanks, and on the other our Palestinian brethren with stones," he said.
"I thought of coming up with this initiative in order to serve Islam ... Islam and the Arabs are portrayed as opposed to peace ... whereas Islam is (a religion of) peace and love," he said.
Prince Abdullah said he would outline the details of his offer at the two-day Arab summit "and God willing, my brethren (Arab leaders) will endorse it."
Intensive consultations are underway ahead of the summit to draw up a final version of the Saudi peace blueprint.
AFP