Israel should accept Saudi peace plan

"We should take the bull by the horns and, when I say that, I mean we should accept the moderate (Arab) countries' initiative, the Saudi initiative," Justice and Housing Minister Meir Sheetrit told public radio.

He said Israel would be willing to withdraw from Arab territory occupied ever since the 1967 Middle East war, as stipulated in the Saudi blueprint, in exchange for a "complete peace".

"If we are talking about overall peace, if we want overall peace, we are compelled to accept all the elements of the initiative and withdraw to the 1967 borders," the minister added.

"Israel should set the agenda on the Palestinian question... and tell the Saudis, come and talk about your initiative," Sheetrit said.

"We should invite (Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas) Abu Mazen for face to face talks," he said, emphasising Israel was "ready to make significant compromises to draw its permanent borders".