The leaders of the world's richest countries were to give "strong support" on Friday to President Barack Obama's insistence that a Mideast peace deal be based on pre-1967 borders.

In a draft statement at the G8 summit in Deauville, northern France, the leaders urge the Israelis and Palestinians "to return to substantive talks with a view to concluding a framework agreement on all final status issues."

"To that effect, we express our strong support for the vision of Israeli-Palestinian peace outlined by President Obama on May 19, 2011."

The draft was still being discussed on the summit's final day, but the section on Israel-Palestine was not expected to change.

In a keynote policy speech on May 19, Obama included a clear call for Israel and the Palestinians to use the borders before the 1967 Six Day War as the basis for talks to achieve a negotiated solution to the conflict.

That was sharply rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said Israel would be "indefensible" if it returned to the borders which existed in 1967, which would not include dozens of settlements.

The G8 final declaration, seen by AFP, said "negotiations are the only way toward a comprehensive and lasting resolution to the conflict. The framework for these negotiations is well known."

"Aspirations of the peoples in the region need to be heeded including that of the Palestinians for a viable and sovereign State and that of Israelis for security and regional integration.

"The time to resume the Peace Process is now."

The leaders called on both sides to abide by existing co-operation agreements "and to abstain from unilateral measures that could hamper progress and further reforms.

"We call for the easing of the situation in Gaza."

earlier related report
Israeli figures urge Europe to back 'Palestine' at UN
Jerusalem (AFP) May 27, 2011 - A group of notable Israeli figures, among them former senior officials, are calling on Europe to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September in a letter published on Friday.

"In the face of endless procrastination and mutual distrust, a declaration of Palestinian independence is not only legitimate, but also a positive and constructive step for the benefit of the two nations," the letter reads.

Since the collapse of direct peace talks late last year, the Palestinian leadership has pursued a strategy aimed at securing UN recognition of their promised state on 1967 borders in a move likely to take place in September.

In a statement accompanying the letter, the signatories urged "European leaders to recognise Palestinian statehood in 2011," saying a declaration of independence was "consistent with fundamental Israeli interests" and could even "rejuvenate the moribund peace process."

Among the signatories were former attorney general Michael Ben-Yair, ex-foreign ministry director Alon Liel, former parliamentary speaker Avraham Burg and Nobel Prize laureate Daniel Kahneman.

Organisers said they would seek meetings with European ambassadors to further their campaign.

"The failure of the international community and primarily of the United States to renew peace negotiations reflects an undeniable and disconcerting reality: peace has been taken captive by the 'Peace Process'," the letter said.

It also accused the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using the peace process "as a distraction manoeuvre rather than a means to conflict resolution."

The letter was published just days after Netanyahu gave a key address to the US Senate which failed to offer any new political initiative which could revive peace talks and thereby dissuade the Palestinians from heading to the UN in September.

The Palestinians say that in the absence of any peace talks, they will press ahead with plans to approach the United Nations in a move which many believe will unleash a "diplomatic tsunami" against Israel.

Israel strongly opposes the move, as does Washington, with both parties saying a Palestinian state can only arise out of a negotiated settlement.

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