Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a televised speech that marked the 17th anniversary of Palestinian declaration of independence in 1988 that Israel is trying to avoid peace talks, and is actually pushing the Palestinians into civil by insisting on the disarmament of the resistance factions ahead of any negotiations on statehood.
Abbas stated that Israel continued its unilateral acts, and is acting as if it had no peace partner. The statements of Abbas came shortly after a visit by the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Palestinian resistance factions including the Islamic resistance movement, Hamas, declared their commitment to the truce, but the Israeli army resumed its operations, invasions and assassinations against resistance fighters in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Hamas said that it will not disarm while Israel continues its attacks, and operations.
Most of the Palestinian resistance groups agreed to abide by the truce, in order to give the peace process a chance to thrive, but after the army carried military operations in the occupied territories, resistance vowed retaliation.
Israel officials reiterated their position that there final status negotiations, which leads to statehood, before Palestinian resistance groups are disarmed.
Zeev Boim, Israeli Deputy Defense Minister, said that the Israeli conditions “are clear” and considered the first obligations towards the first phase of the Road Map.
US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, renewed during her visit to the area the U.S. pressure on Abbas to act against the resistance factions. She also pushed Israel on the question of settlement constructions, Israeli online daily Haaretz reported.
Also, Abbas said that Israel is attempting to impose dangerous options by imposing a long-term solution based on setting up a Palestinian State with temporary borders controlled by Israel.
Abbas concluded by stating that if Israel was serious in its talks with the Palestinians, a “historic permanent status solution” could be reached in no more than six months.
The Palestinian Authority repeatedly warned that Israel is using the Gaza unilateral withdrawal in order to keep much larger areas in the West Bank, by expanding settlements, and isolating the Palestinian territories, especially amidst the E-J 1 project which intends to connect Maali Adumim settlement with Jerusalem.
Israel plan to construct 3500-4000 houses which will link Maali Adumim with the east of Jerusalem thus blocking geographical unity of the Palestinians areas.
