Palestinian chief negotiator, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Dr. Saeb Erekat, stated that the meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and the head of the Kadima opposition party in Israel, Shaul Mofaz, will be held this coming Sunday. Speaking to the Palestine Radio, Dr. Erekat stated that the meeting is not an indication of the resumption of peace talks, adding that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his negotiations team, are in charge of running the Israeli side of the political process.
Commenting on statements made by Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who said that Abbas “is not interested in peace”, Erekat stated that these statements “are rude and filled with incitement”, and added that Israel is responsible for these statements.
The Palestinian officials also said that the statements of Lieberman “are incitement meant to inflict physical harm on president Abbas”.
Updated from
Abbas-Mofaz Meeting Not Confirmed, P.A Says
Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:37:53
The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank reported that the planned Sunday meeting between Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israeli vice prime minister, Shaul Mofaz, was not confirmed, adding that should such a meeting take place, it would be for explaining stances, exchanging opinions, and not a resumption of peace talks.
Several media outlets reported that Abbas and Mofaz will be holding a meeting in the central West Bank city of Ramallah this coming Sunday.
Nimir Hammad, a political adviser to Abbas, told the official Palestine News & Info Agency (WAFA), that it remains unknown whether Mofaz, should the meeting take place, will be submitting a letter from the Israeli government, or “will be merely be expressing his own opinions regarding the resumption of peace talks”.
Hammad added that Abbas met, and is holding meetings, with different Israeli figures, and that such meetings are only meant to present the Palestinian stances and demands, and that such meetings “have nothing to do with peace talks”.
Although Palestinian and Israeli officials held several meetings in a number of countries, including meetings held, among other places, in Amman, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority said that it will not agree to the resumption of peace talks as long as Israel is ongoing with its violations, invasions, and its ongoing illegal settlement construction and expansion activities in and around occupied East Jerusalem, as well as other parts of the occupied West Bank.
The Hamas movement, as well as other factions, repeatedly criticized the P.A in the West Bank for holding talks with Israeli officials, and considered these talks as secret peace talks despite Israel’s ongoing violations.
