A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday rejected Benjamin Netanyahu's speech as "sabotaging" peace efforts. A senior Palestinian negotiator urged U.S. President Barack Obama to intervene to force Israel to abide by previous interim agreements that include freezing settlement activity in the West Bank. The alternative, he said, was violence. "The peace process has been moving at the speed of a tortoise," negotiator Saeb Erekat said, according to Reuters.
"Tonight, Netanyahu has flipped it over on its back."
On his part, Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah stated: "Netanyahu's remarks have sabotaged all initiatives, paralysed all efforts being made and challenges the Palestinian, Arab and American positions." He stressed Netanyahu's demand that Jerusalem be the undivided capital of Israel and that Palestinian refugees not be allowed into Israel: "This will not lead to complete and just peace," Abu Rudeinah was further quoted as saying. "His remarks are not enough and will not lead to a solution."
He described Netanyahu's setting of a condition of demilitarisation as a condition for Israel agreeing to a Palestinian state as "detail". "Our main demand is the end of the occupation and finding a fair solution for Palestinian refugees and halting settlements," Abu Rdainah said. "Other details should be resolved in negotiations."
Hamas also dismissed Netanyahu speech saying it was "racist". Ahmed Baher, a senior Hamas figure in Gaza and also acting speaker of the PLC, said Netanyahu speech needs to be confronted by a united Arab and Islamic stance.
© 2009 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
