Peres, Abbas urge peace, praise return to talks
‘There is no alternative to peace,’ says Peres; Abbas: ‘I hope we will have a state that will live in peace alongside Israel’
President Shimon Peres spoke on Sunday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and praised him for the “courageous and historic decision” to return to the negotiating table.
“There is no alternative to peace, not for us and not for you,” Peres said, according to the President’s Residence. “Don’t listen to the skeptics; you’ve done the right thing. We want to see the two peoples taking the right path.”
Peres also praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who “understands this is a historic calling,” and US Secretary of State John Kerry.
“The Americans fulfilled an important and central role in our return to the negotiations. Kerry’s work was very professional. He is a wise man, honest and serious in his intentions,” Peres said.
On Friday, Kerry announced the two sides would begin talks shortly, though there are conflicting reports over whether the negotiations will be based on the 1967 lines, a Palestinian demand.
Abbas told Peres it was time “to continue the peace process we began so many years ago, and to complete it.”
“There is hope,” Abbas told Peres. “We’ll continue to build the future, and I hope we’ll arrive at a good end. I hope we’ll see progress and that we’ll gain an independent state that enjoys neighborly relations and lives in peace alongside Israel.”
Peres has urged Abbas to return to peace talks in recent months. The Sunday Times reported that the two met in secret in May in Amman, Jordan, where Peres reportedly tried to convince Abbas that Jewish settlers could live in a future Palestinian state if they agreed to accept its sovereignty.
Israeli sources say the talks are set to last from 9-12 months. Israel will be represented by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Netanyahu envoy Yitzhak Molcho and the Palestinians by veteran negotiator Saeb Erekat. Kerry said Friday he expected the talks to resume in Washington next week, but Israeli officials said logistics might require a further week of preparation.
On Saturday, Minister Yuval Steinitz said Israel had agreed to release a large number of veteran Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the talks. He said many of the prisoners were being held for “serious” crimes.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.