"Try me," Abbas told Channel 2. "I say on behalf of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, that we are prepared for an agreement."
He said that US Middle East envoy George Mitchell had put forward "various ideas" on his recent trips to the region, and that the PLO would present its proposal to the Arab League on the first day of next month.
"We will submit everything that has been presented to us to the Arab Follow-up Committee on the first of next month and we hope there will be a positive response," he said, referring to the group of foreign ministers.
The PA president emphasized that the demand for a halt to Israeli construction in occupied east Jerusalem was not a new one, and that the PA had been calling for such a freeze since the Road Map was compiled.
Stressing that Netanyahu was the prime minister "chosen by the Israeli people and elected by the Knesset," Abbas said that on that basis, it was his "duty to work with him."
In response, Netanyahu said he "commends any willingness to resume peace talks."
Regarding the 'Law of Return' for Palestinians refugees, the PA leader hinted that he was not asking for an influx of Palestinians into the Zionist entity, merely saying, "The Road Map stipulates a 'just solution,' so let's just say, I want a "just solution.'"
He expressed confidence at being able to "explain" the agreed-upon solution to the refugee issue to the Palestinian people.
Concerning recent calls for renewed Palestinian resistance in the occupied West Bank, Abbas said he did "not want demonstrations that deteriorate into violence."
Abbas played down PA Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad's stated intention to declare a Palestinian state in 2011, saying, "There will be no unilateral moves, we want an agreement."
In a message of reassurance about Hamas rule in Gaza, Abbas said he was confident that the Arab world would solve the issue, and stressed that he was in "constant contact" with the group in a bid for a reconciliation agreement.
The PA president went on to say that he had made an offer to Hamas to take captured Israeli occupation soldier Gilad Shalit off the group's hands and allow Abbas to hammer out a swap deal, but to no avail.
He recounted how during talks with the previous Israeli government, the two sides had agreed to negotiate "based on the 1967 borders with land swaps." "I presented my maps and [former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert] responded with his maps," he said.
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
No comments:
Post a Comment