Netanyahu says Abbas against direct peace talks

Ahead of his trip to Rome to meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday slams PA President Mahmoud Abbas for spreading “abhorrent lies” against Israel.

Abbas last week falsely accused Israeli rabbis of urging the poisoning of Palestinian wells. He later retracted the remarks.

“Regarding the process with the Palestinians, I think that Abbas last week again proved to the entire world that he is not interested in direct negotiations with Israel,” says Netanyahu. “Worse, he also spread abhorrent lies about the State of Israel and Judaism. True, he quickly apologized, a halfhearted half-apology, but the things he said there were in keeping with what he has said about us on other occasions, including at the UN General Assembly. Therefore, I think that people can conclude from this who wants to advance peace and a peace process – and who does not.”

President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas delivers a speech at the European Union Parliament in Brussels on June 23, 2016. (AFP PHOTO / JOHN THYS)