Palestinian Authority officials said on Sunday that they were “surprised” to hear about the latest US proposal for a three-month settlement freeze in return for a package of incentives to Israel.
Some officials in Ramallah did not hide their disappointment with the “sudden change” in US policy which, they explained, puts the PA in a difficult position. However, they stopped short of rejecting the US offer in public.
The officials expressed strong reservations about the US proposal, mainly because it does not include east Jerusalem and limits the freeze to only three months.
One official closely associated with PA President Mahmoud Abbas criticized the US administration for “succumbing to [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu’s extortions.”
The official told The Jerusalem Post that the PA’s credibility would be severely damaged if it resumed the peace talks with Israel while “building was continuing in east Jerusalem.”
The PLO Executive Committee, a key decision-making body dominated by Abbas loyalists, on Sunday reiterated its opposition to a “partial freeze” of settlement construction, adding that construction should also be halted in east Jerusalem.
“A settlement freeze must be comprehensive and permanent,” the committee said in a statement. “What’s the point of negotiating while Israel is continuing to steal Palestinian land?” More from JPost
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1 comment:
lets see....we can choose to help 1) the Palestinian Authority, who sponsors terrorist attacks and holds rallies their streets, burning the American flag, calling for the death of the USA and of Israel, and is NEVER satisfied with ANY negotiated compromise OR 2) the only democracy in the region and our only true supporter and ally, someone who balances the entire region of crazy, murderous, unyielding, and misogynist nutcases. Ok, gimme a minute...its a hard pick....
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