The Jailed Fateh leader Marwan Barghouthi stated on Saturday that a cease-fire with Israel is in the Palestinian National Interest, and that he supports a meeting between the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.
Barghouthi met on Saturday in his jail cell at Hadarim Israeli prison with Arab member of Knesset, Mohammad Barakeh, and said that he supports a meeting between Abbas and Olmert although previous meetings did not yield any positive results.
Barghouthi also said that he opposes any kind of attacks that harms civilians in Palestine or Israel.He told Barakeh that the Palestinians would accept a Palestinian State within the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital, and that Israel should accept the Right of Return to the Palestinian refugees and the release of all political detainees.
Commenting on the internal situation in the Palestinian territories, Barghouthi said that progress had been made in talks between Fateh and Hamas regarding a National Unity Government, and stated that a unity government would aid in lifting the international and Israeli embargo.Barghouthi added that the unity government would strengthen the peace camp in Israel.
Regarding the ongoing clashes between Hamas and Fateh members, Barghouthi said that the detainees held in Israeli prisons would stage a hunger strike if the internal clashes continue.
Meanwhile, member of Knesset Mohammad Barakeh described his meeting with Barghouthi as “very important”, and added that the issue of Palestinian detainees is the most important issue in the Palestinian arena.Israel is holding 11.000 Palestinians prisoner in several prisons, detention and interrogation centers.
The detainees are facing harsh living conditions, and are subjected to repeated attacks by prison administration and soldiers who repeatedly break into their room and tents.
