Netanyahu Not Only Admits He Attended Secret Summit, Says It Was His Idea

Following the revelation by the Israeli daily Haaretz that Prime Minister Netanyahu attended a secret summit in the Jordanian town of Aqaba in February of last year where he met with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Jordanian King Abdallah II, Egyptian President Abdel-Fatteh Al-Sissi, Netanyahu not only admitted that he attended, but claimed the clandestine attempt to jump start the peace process was his idea. According to the report of the meeting, it came after Israel had made new offers to the Palestinians including a freeze on all settlement building outside the three blocs accepted to remain under Israeli sovereignty. The new initiative reportedly fell apart when Netanyahu withdrew his offer citing resistance from his own coalition members. Subsequent reports tell of competing plans by Netanyahu and Kerry and demands by the Israeli for American support for specific elements such as building in the three settlement blocs. Other casualties of the failed initiative include an agreement that would have embraced the Arab world and a unity government in Israel.