Original sentence: " He laid some of the blame with Israel, saying, "[i]n part [the Arab] stand was a response to Israel's unwillingness or inability to consider withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza as part of any peace settlement." Odd Bull of the UNTSO opined in much the same manner in 1976.Avi Shlaim has argued that Arab spokesmen interpreted the Khartoum declarations to mean "no formal peace treaty, but not a rejection of peace; no direct negotiations, but not a refusal to talk through third parties; and no de jure recognition of Israel, but acceptance of its existence as a state" (emphasis in original).Shlaim acknowledges that none of this was known in Israel at the time, whose leaders took the "three nos" at face value.Shlaim states that the conference marked a turning point in Arab-Israeli relations, noting that Nasser urged Hussein to seek a "comprehensive settlement" with Israel
Edited sentence: " He laid some of the blame with Israel, saying, "[i]n part [the Arab] stand was a response to Israel's unwillingness or inability to consider withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza as part of any peace settlement"—an interpretation echoed by UNTSO Chief of Staff General Odd Bull...Avi Shlaim argues that Arab spokesmen interpreted the Khartoum declarations to mean "no formal peace treaty, but not a rejection of peace; no direct negotiations, but not a refusal to talk through third parties; and no de jure recognition of Israel, but acceptance of its existence as a state" (emphasis in original).Shlaim acknowledges however, that none of this was known in Israel at the time, whose leaders took the "three nos" at face value.Shlaim claims that the conference marked a "turning point" in Arab-Israeli relations, noting that Nasser urged Hussein to seek a "comprehensive settlement" with Israel