Qasem: Return of refugees is key to a Palestinian state

[ 24/05/2011 - 09:59 PM ] 
NABLUS, (PIC)-- Dr. Abdel-Sattar Qasem, professor of political science at the Najah University in Nablus, expressed concern over the future of the Palestinian national reconciliation agreement if security coordination between the PA and the Israeli occupation forces continues, adding that a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders will not be the key to peace in the middle east.
Qasem added, in a press statement Tuesday, that the key to a Palestinian state is the right to self-determination and not security coordination with the Israeli occupation.
“Even if Palestinians got a state within the 1967 borders, this will not be a solution, because the basis of the solution is the return of refugees [..] and the establishment of the state should be as a result of the right to self-determination and not security understandings with Israel as this would mean we become security agents for Israel,” Qasem said.

Qasem further expressed concern about the future of the national reconciliation agreement saying that as long as there is security coordination there will be no real reconciliation, because security coordination means a Palestinian would have to arrest his fellow Palestinian in the service of Israeli security and this was the cause of the rift in the first place.
“To give up security coordination, we have to give up the financial support from sponsor countries,” Qasem said, “We have two choices: give up financial support from sponsor countries, this will mean a financial crisis, but we can end security coordination and move to real reconciliation, or keep the security coordination and financial dependence then we can just talk about national reconciliation.”
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