Israel must leave Arab lands, former US secretary of state says

Abu Dhabi: Former US secretary of state James Baker yesterday praised his country's current administration for its efforts in trying to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but said Israel must withdraw from most Arab lands in order to maintain its "Jewish" and "democratic" identity.

"Israel cannot continue to maintain its Jewish and democratic identity as long as it continues to occupy those Arab lands," Baker, who was the Secretary of State in the first Bush administration, told reporters in a question and answer session.

Baker, who is visiting UAE to open a new office for his law firm Baker Botts in Abu Dhabi, added that the Obama administration's focus should be to get both parties back to the negotiation table.

Baker's comments came on the same day the Arab League endorsed a US initiative to resume indirect talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. The plan will likely see an American moderator speak with both sides separately, but officials have not disclosed how the process would differ from the past engagement of US Envoy George Mitchell.

"President Obama did the right thing by engaging," said Baker. "There will never be progress in the Arab-Israeli conflict unless there is US engagement, given the US's special relationship with Israel."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas aborted direct negotiations with Israel in the wake of its offensive on Gaza in December, 2008. He has since refused to resume talks until Israel freezes colony expansion.

Separately, Baker said Iran represents a source of instability "not only in the region, but in the world generally." Still, he discouraged the use of force in favour of "strong deterrents," such as the bringing Israel and other Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan under the US nuclear umbrella.

"It's a mistake to define this conflict between taking military action and doing nothing," Baker said. "The rulers of Iran maybe a little flaky but they are not disinterested in self preservation."

In July, 2009, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US would extent the threat of its nuclear arsenal to "protect" Israel and other US-friendly Arab countries against a possible attack from Iran, but no formal agreements have been made public.