Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, stated on Tuesday night that a permanent peace agreement with the Palestinians under the current situation is impossible, and that the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas “disappointed Israel”. The statements came at the dedication of the new branch of Kadima party in Netanya, Israeli Ynetnews reported.She claimed that the Palestinians are not adhering to the demands of the Quartet since Hamas movement, a main party in the unity government, still refuses to recognize Israel. Hamas offered an extended truce with Israel but said that it cannot recognize it since it is occupying the Palestinian lands, and oppressing the people, besides continuing to construct the illegal annexation wall and settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Meanwhile, Livni said that Abbas “had the chance to condition the establishment of the unity government with the release of the abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. “But he decided not to do so”, Livni added.
She told Kadima party members and supporters that the new Palestinian National Unity government did not respect the conditions of the Quartet, and that the Palestinians “still need to implement the first stage of the Road Map, “renounce terror” according to Livni.
Yet, Israel itself did not fully accept the Road Map Plan and demanded changes in it after setting several conditions before even considering the plan.
Meanwhile, an Israeli official stated on Tuesday that President Abbas and Israel’s Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, agreed to hold bi-weekly meetings.
The official Israeli position regarding peace talks is that “peace talks about Jerusalem, refugees, and boundaries will cause the failure of the peace process and would create a new round of violence".
But the Israeli Annexation Wall that routes deep into the occupied West Bank, and the settlements all over Jerusalem and the West Bank, are changing the geography of the occupied territories and imposing facts created by Israel.
Livni said that the Israeli realignment plan, which proposes unilateral withdrawal from parts of the West Bank without evacuating settlement blocks, would serve as basis for talks with the Palestinians.
But the plan does not comply with any Security Council resolution regarding the Israeli withdrawal from all of the territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. The Israeli plans intend to maintain control over large portions of the West Bank, borders, and Jerusalem.
