On Thursday, the Hamas-led government in Gaza, called for the resignation of a Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) official, Yasser Abed Rabbo, who was quoted in the press as agreeing to recognize Israel as a Jewish state if Israel agreed to 1967 borders.Secretary-General Yasser Abed Rabbo was quoted in the Israeli daily Haaretz as claiming the PLO would recognize Israel ‘according to the formulation of the government within the hour’ if Israel offered a map with 1967 borders.
According to the daily, Abed Rabbo also said ‘Any formulation the Americans present – even asking us to call Israel the ‘Chinese State’ – we will agree to it, as long as we receive the 1967 borders. We have recognized Israel in the past, but Israel has not recognized the Palestinian State.’
However, Abed Rabbo told Ma’an News Agency he had only spoken with Agence France-Presse over the issue, but did not say whether what appears in the daily is what he actually said.
The comments drew harsh criticism from Hamas. Gaza government spokesman, Taher An-Nunu, said Abed Rabbo’s statements did not represent the Palestinian national consensus, and gave dangerous concessions to Israel.
Further, he said the statements betrayed Palestinian refugees by undermining their right to return to their land.
An-Nunu added Abed Rabbo’s comments proved that the current PLO leadership could not be trusted to act in the interests of Palestinians, and called for the restructuring of the organization.
