Following the Abbas-Olmert Tuesday meeting in Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister, head of the Israeli Negotiations Team, Tzipi Livni, stated that Israel should not play any role in resolving the issue of the Palestinian refugees.This statement observed as an official attempt by Israel not to recognize its responsibility for the displacement of the refugees, and violates all related security council and general assembly resolutions.
In a conference in Jerusalem, Livni said that any final solution with the Palestinians should lead to a Jewish State and a Palestinian state, but Israel should not do anything regarding the return of the Palestinian refugees.
She added that the Palestinian State should be the final and comprehensive solution to the refugees wherever they are and Israel will be the “National House for All Jews”.
Livni also accused the Palestinians of being incapable of fulfilling their commitments to the Road Map Plan and the singed peace deal.
She stated that “even though the negotiations did not lead to any positive issue, the Israelis must set the aim to maintain Israel as a national Jewish state”.
On Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister. Ehud Olmert, and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, met in Jerusalem.
Livni, who heads the negotiations team, and Ahmad Qorea’, who heads the Palestinian team, were also present at the meeting, Israeli online daily Haaretz, reported.
Abbas and Olmert did not hold any talks over the issue of Jerusalem although Abbas called earlier for discussing all sensitive issues.
A senior Israeli official said that the two leaders agreed to speed up the peace talks.
Palestinian negotiator Dr. Sa’eb Erekat, said that Abbas and Olmert reviews several issues during their meeting but did not reach any agreement.
He added that the two leaders will meet again in two weeks.
Meanwhile, spokesperson of Olmert, Mark Regev, said that Palestinian and Israeli negotiators would meet almost on daily bases, Haaretz said.
He added that earlier this week Abbas accepted an Israeli proposal to delay the talks on Jerusalem until the final status talks. Yet, Palestinian officials denied the Israeli claim.
Regev added that he is now aware if there had been any change in the Israeli position regarding this issue, but stated that the issue of Jerusalem was not addressed during this meeting, Haaretz reported.
