Abbas says peace ball is in Israel’s court
PA president insists Palestinians are ready to come to table, as soon as Jerusalem makes concessions; top negotiator threatens to go to international courts
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday that he is serious about reaching a peace settlement, but it is first up to Israel to accept a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.
“[US Secretary of State John] Kerry is exerting strenuous efforts,” Abbas said at a news conference after meeting with President Mohammed Waheed Hassan of Maldives. “The ball is now in Israel’s court.”
Also Tuesday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the West Bank government will try to bring Israel up on charges through the UN if America fails in its attempts to restart peace talks.
Erekat told diplomats that the Palestinians plan on turning to UN agencies to charge Israel with war crimes in international courts if talks are not resumed. The statements came a day after Kerry announced he would visit the region next week, his fifth shuttle diplomacy trip since taking the reins as America’s chief diplomat in February.
Kerry is trying to shepherd Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. Jerusalem insists on talks without preconditions, but the Palestinians say they need a settlement-building freeze in place before they negotiate.
Abbas said the entire Arab world would recognize Israel as soon as it accepted a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 armistice lines.
Israeli leaders have repeatedly stated that they accept a two-state solution, but conditional upon Palestinian recognition of Israel’s right to exist and security concerns. Israel has also rejected a strict adherence to the 1967 borders, seeking instead land swaps for parts of East Jerusalem and the Jewish settlement blocs.
In April, the Arab League for the first time also accepted the prospect of mutually agreed and “minor” land swaps between the Israelis and the Palestinians, a move endorsed by Ramallah.
“In the event that Israel should accept a two-state solution based on 1967 borders, the Palestinians may consider small border adjustments, as long as it does not harm Palestinian interests,” Erekat said in late April.
Speaking to the American Jewish Committee’s annual Global Forum on Monday, Kerry warned that time is running out and said that this may be the last chance the US and Israel get to make peace with the Palestinian Authority.
In addition to a return to the 1967 borders, the Palestinian Authority has, in the past, demanded a freeze on all construction in Jewish settlements and the release of Palestinian security prisoners.
