Interesting article, Bobert. The comments from the other Arab nations were particularly disturbing:

"President Bashar Assad of Syria said he considers all of Israel an armed camp and argued that Palestinian fighters have no obligation to distinguish between military and civilian targets. 'This intifada has started to make the Israeli people understand. So the more we want peace, the more we will support the intifada.' "

"Representatives of the Iraqi government, led by Izzat Ibrahim, vice chairman of the ruling Revolutionary Command Council, also argued that continued fighting will win concessions from Israel. The Iraqis refrained from endorsing Abdullah's proposal publicly. 'That intifada has given positive results,' said Ibrahim, who stood in for President Saddam Hussein, who has not left his country in more than a decade. 'That is what is going to produce liberation over the enemy.' "

Doesn't sound to me as if they're interested in negotiating a peace settlement. How is Israel supposed to have any confidence in Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah's statement that "if their government gives up the policy of force and suppression and accepts genuine peace, we will not hesitate in accepting the Israeli people's right to live in security with the rest of the people in the region"? I wonder what he considers "genuine peace" to be... and I wonder if the other Arab leaders of the region would agree with him.

Here's a link to excerpts from the Saudi Crown Prince's speech, wherein he spoke about his peace proposal: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A24501-2002Mar27