BICOM

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver a Middle East policy speech to the US Congress in late May during a visit to Washington. The speech will take place a few days after President Barack Obama delivers a US Middle East policy speech and lays out the path to renewed peace talks. Netanyahu is expected to speak at the same week in which he is scheduled to address the AIPAC conference, due to take place on May 22.

Aides to Netanyahu had announced earlier this year that the prime minister planned to provide a new policy outline for the Middle East peace process. The invitation to speak before Congress, from The office of US House Speaker John Boehner, offers Netanyahu a strong platform to deliver a speech on his intentions towards the peace process. Yesterday Netanyahu outlined the main parts of what he would talk about without going into detail. “I will, of course, speak about the (Iranian) threat,” Netanyahu said. “I will speak about the big changes that are taking place in our region and I will speak also about the way which we believe that is the only one that will bring about secure peace between us and our neighbours. Not peace on paper, not peace in ceremonies on lawns, but a true, durable peace that will hold and will ensure our security and future.”

A month ago Haaretz reported that Netanyahu and his advisers were working on a speech that would outline an interim agreement with the Palestinians, similar to the interim plans prepared previously by the MFA and Kadima MK Shaul Mofaz. According to Haaretz the initiative consisted of establishing a Palestinian state within temporary borders on about 50 percent of the West Bank, balancing international demands with Israeli security and political concerns.

The US-led peace talks launched six months ago aimed to strike a final deal by September 2011. However, talks soon broke down shortly after the settlement construction freeze by Israel ended and the Palestinians demanded that a new moratorium be implemented in order for direct talks to resume.